Whiplash Injury

Whiplash is an acute injury of at least moderate intensity which causes a strain to the bones, muscles,nerves, tendons, and vertebral discs of the neck region. It is caused by a sudden, unexpected impact which jerks the head back and then forward causing the neck to snap out of alignment.

What are the symptoms?

headaches/migraines, stiffness, neck pain, dizziness (nausea/vomiting), problems thinking or remembering, numbness and tingling (arms, face, shoulders), jaw pain, low back pain, hip pain, impaired vision

Where could it happen?

Traffic/stop light (‘traffic light disease’)
End of traffic jam/queue
Sport (Boxing, Karate, Judo……)
Roller coaster

How can it be prevented?

1. Ensure that the top of the head restraint is as high as the top of your head.
Position the head restraint as close to the rear of your head as possible.



2. Adjust your seat position.

First, the driver's back should be flat against the back of the seat with the buttocks squarely tucked into the corner created at the intersection of the seat back and bottom. The underside of the legs should be in contact with the seat bottom. The purpose of this position is to provide as much surface contact between the driver's body and the seat. This has safety benefits as well as providing the driver with the most tactile feedback as possible.

Second is the arm position. The arms when fully extended should allow the wrists to rest at the top of the steering wheel. This allows the arms to be slightly bent at the elbow when fully extended for a turn. The purpose of this position is to prevent the arms from being overextended during turns (the shoulders should not need to lift from the seat back even to do a full arm crossover). Overextending the arms will cause them to tire quickly, and will cause the driver to lose sensitivity to the vibrations in the steering wheel.

Third is the leg position. When any of the pedals are fully depressed with the ball of the foot on the pedal (not the toes), the leg should still be bent at the knee. This is to prevent overextension as described for the arms. Be sure that the knees are not against the underdash or steering column. In fact, there should be several inches room to prevent injury in event of a collision.

3. Check seat belt adjustor position

4. Leave plenty of space (escape route) if you are the last car in a traffic jam – closely observe oncoming traffic in rear view mirror.