This ETSC policy paper on “Reining in whiplash: Better Protection for Europe’s Car Occupants” brings together arguments on why whiplash injuries are an increasing social and financial problem to European society and what can be done to tackle this major road safety issue. The policy paper explains what whiplash injuries are and how they occur by bringing evidence together from current state-of-the-art research programmes on whiplash. Vehicle safety factors that can have an influence on the occurrence of whiplash injuries are explained. It is shown how new seat and head restraint characteristics can contribute to reducing the number of whiplash injuries. Moreover, state-of-the-art crash test procedures are explained and it is shown how a standard test procedure on whiplash protection would benefit consumers in Europe. The accelerated take up of whiplash protection should therefore be an EU road safety priority. In a first step, the European Commission should request that Euro NCAP introduce whiplash protection assessments as quickly as possible and that Euro NCAP is giving proper credit to good whiplash protection. In a second step, considering the great potential of current best practice whiplash protection systems, similar or better systems should be implemented in all new cars in Europe. (Author/publisher)
Abstract