As an auto accident attorney in Louisville, Kentucky I have seen many clients who were the victims of rear end collisions and have suffered greatly because of the injuries they sustained. One of the most common is a neck injury known as whiplash.
Whiplash is caused when you get a jolt from behind which causes your head to jerk back and forth. This not a natural movement and our bodies are not made to comfortably do that. This jerking motion affects the muscles and ligaments around the neck and shoulders. It is a painful and lasting injury that can be prevented by a head restraint system that is correctly in place. A head restraint system is what most consider a headrest. It is not a headrest; it is designed to restrict head movement during rear end collisions reducing the chance of neck and shoulder injuries.
A regulation implemented in 2008 governs the placement of the manually adjustable head restraints. They have to be adjustable from no lower than 29.5 inches to at least 31.5 inches from the occupant’s hips. Taking the time to adjust your head restraint is properly adjusted in case you are involved in a collision.
Of the three head restraints available; manual, automatic and dynamic, the dynamic is thought to be the most effective. Dynamic head restraint systems are designed to deploy automatically in the case of an accident. They also incorporate the seatback in the system which in effect cradles the body as well as supporting the head in an accident.
If the cars you and your loved ones are driving have manual head restraint systems please take the time to properly adjust them. It could save a lot of future pain.
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