WAYS TO REDUCE THE SEVERITY OF WHIPLASH INJURIES

Whiplash injuries are injuries to the neck that occur in a wide range of car accidents, although they are most common in rear-end crashes, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS). They include injuries to soft tissue, muscles, nerves, ligaments, and even the bones of the neck. Pain, swelling, and stiffness may linger even after the injuries appear to have healed.

While whiplash injuries are not fully understood, researchers have identified several risk factors that can be addressed to reduce the severity of whiplash injuries in an accident. In addition to driving safely to avoid accidents, you can help protect yourself and your passengers from severe whiplash by considering the following factors:

• Headrest position. The headrests in your vehicle are designed to help restrain the head during an accident, but they can only work if they are adjusted for the height of the passenger using them. Don’t hesitate to adjust headrests to protect yourself and your passengers.
• Seating position. Sitting further away from the dashboard and leaning back into the seat so your head is near the headrest may help to reduce the severity of whiplash injuries, according to some research. Adjust the back of the seat so that it is upright, and sit in a relaxed position in the seat whenever possible. Drivers should, of course, lean forward in order to see blind spots and other areas to drive safely.

At Caputo and Van Der Walde – Injury & Accident Attorneys, our focused San Jose car accident attorneys are dedicated to helping each of our clients get the compensation they need to deal with whiplash or other injuries. Contact us today at (800) 900-0863 for a free and confidential case evaluation.