Whiplash Prevention Campaign to Raise Awareness on How to Reduce Whiplash Injuries
Goal of Project is to Design a Head Restraint that Automatically Adjusts as per the Passenger’s Height and Weight and to Full Seat System
Whiplash Prevention Campaign is led by Dough Romily from UBC Dept. of Mechanical Engineering and funded by AUTO21. The WPC campaign began as a larger research project to prevent and reduce occupant injury in rear-end collisions. The campaign focuses on three main aspects: Developing strategies for improved head restraint use; developing automatic head restraint position systems in the upcoming production of new vehicles; and developing seat whiplash mitigation systems for all future vehicles. Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Kristoff Frings, a contributor to Whiplash Prevention blogs shares some important facts on whiplash injuries.
Whiplash injuries are neck injuries caused due to sudden distortions of the neck caused by rear-end vehicle collisions or crashes. Whiplash victims experience pain because of a minor tearing of the soft tissue or mild muscle strain. Other major injuries include disc damage, nerve damage, ruptured ligaments, broken neck, etc. Minor injuries can lead to pain and limited mobility in the neck and head. These symptoms are temporary but symptoms such as tingling in the arms, dizziness, and headaches could be prolonged for a few weeks. Scientists believe that these symptoms are caused due to nerve damage which leads to minor sprains and strain on muscles.
Although there are people who experience whiplash injuries due to several other lifestyle-related reasons and medical conditions, this Whiplash Prevention Campaign focuses on injuries caused by car crashes. A passenger can reduce the chance of getting whiplash injuries from an accident with the proper use of well-designed head restraints. These restraints can reduce serious injuries from auto accidents. Studies also reveal that vehicles that come with well-engineered head restraints can reduce injuries by up to 40 percent.
All the cars should be replaced with correctly positioned head restraints. Whiplash statistics reveal that whiplash injuries account for over 65% of all bodily injury claims and over 2 million insurance claims every year. According to the studies conducted by IIHS or the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, the head restraints present in a majority of cars are either too low or too far away from the back of the passenger or driver’s head.
Hence, these restraints cannot provide effective protection against whiplash injuries. Although head restraints have improved over time and most new vehicles have better restraints, there is still scope for improvement. Whiplash Prevention Campaign also offers the headrest rating for any car that has been tested by IIHS. Anyone looking at buying a new car and wanting to see the rating for the current car, can use the search feature on the website. Whiplash statistics reveal that nearly 200 rear-end collisions happen every day in British Columbia alone.
To learn more visit https://www.whiplashprevention.org/whiplashmatters/statistics/
About Whiplash Prevention Campaign
Whiplash Prevention Campaign was started to increase awareness about the role that a properly adjusted head restraint plays in ensuring safety and reducing whiplash injuries. The campaign also aims at increasing the number of good vehicles manufactured and purchased; and special focus on head restraints used in BC and the effectiveness of programs.
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Contact
Whiplash Prevention Campaign
Phone: +1 (240) 368-6001
Website: https://www.whiplashprevention.org/
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