“Whiplash occurs in low speed rear end shunts, traffic lights and traffic jams and is made worse by badlydesigned and poorly-adjusted head restraints”

Now a technical sub-group is currently looking at whiplash protection but, according to Euro NCAP secretary general Adrian Hobbs, it is not yet clear what their recommendations will be or when whiplash tests will be added to the programme. Thatcham, the UK-based Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre joined the board of Euro NCAP earlier this year, and two years ago it launched its own annual rating results focusing on head restraints and their ability to prevent painful whiplash injuries. It now has data on more than 400 models.

Until this year all whiplash testing has been static, but in May the organisation introduced dynamic whiplash testing using a sled that simulates front, side and rear collisions. Whiplash occurs in low speed rear end shunts at junctions, traffic lights and traffic jams and is made worse by badly designed and poorly adjusted head restraints. In the UK there are more than 200,000 cases of whiplash a year – with 2,000 cases resulting in some form of permanent disability – costing insurers a total of £1.6 billion. The whiplash tests have resulted in many improvements in seat design, including stiffer and higher seat backs, bigger head restraints and active head restraint technology.

The latest Thatcham results, which can be viewed at www.thatcham.org, showed a 20% increase in makes and models rated “good” and a 64% reduction in those rated “poor” when compared to 2002 whiplash tests. However, Thatcham crash laboratory manager Matthew Avery says: “Although some manufacturers are on the right road it should be noted that 6% of new models tested still only rated as offering ‘poor’ and 17% ‘marginal’ protection against whiplash.”

“Many manufacturers are still failing to heed our advice and still produce unsafe seats”

Thatcham singled out the new Volkswagen Golf for praise saying: “The old model rated as ‘poor’, but the new Golf Mk5 has moved to ‘good’. As a result Thatcham predicts a possible 40% decrease in whiplash injuries for the new model.” Mr Avery added: “Many manufacturers are still failing to heed our advice and still produce unsafe seats. But, as always, the onus is on the motorists to take a few seconds to adjust their head restraint to provide optimum protection.”

He added: “The majority of injuries could be averted if drivers and their passengers took a few seconds to make a minor adjustment to their head restraints. Adjusting a head restraint to the appropriate position could save a lifetime of pain and suffering. Most people have taken on board the message that using a seat belt saves lives – now they should use their heads and save their necks.”

“Good seat and head restraint design – coupled with the motorist making the appropriate adjustment – is the key”

Mr Avery concluded: “Good seat and head restraint design – coupled with the motorist making the appropriate adjustment – is the key. By combining the two an incalculable amount of pain and suffering could be prevented.” In addition Euro NCAP has discussed testing luggage retention mechanisms several times and it remains on the agenda for future discussion. In the past Mr Hobbs said it had proved difficult adding the requirements to the tests. Future Euro NCAP tests are also likely to focus on accident avoidance technology.

Mr Hobbs added that “Euro NCAP is constantly developing,” while Guido Adriaenssens, chief executive of International Consumer Research and Testing, which represents European consumer organisations on Euro NCAP, added: “There are still areas that need to be addressed, like whiplash protection and luggage retention. It is hoped that in the near future Euro NCAP is able to incorporate these in its protocols in order to encourage car manufacturers to do better than the bare minimum that is required by the law.”