Whiplash and accident claims in small cars

It is simply the laws of physics that if two cars are involved in a road accident the lighter of the two vehicles is the one that is likely to bear the brunt of the impact. This has the inevitable consequence that if the smaller car is the no-fault party any resultant car accident claim has a high probability of being for a serious personal injury such as whiplash.

In an ideal world, driving would not be an exercise in traffic Darwinism, but unfortunately, for many, that is the way of the road and a contributing factor to many car accidents. It's rather like the playground where the small kids make way for the big kids, only on the roads it's the smaller cars making way for the bigger cars. It is human nature that if you are bigger than your rival there is an inner tendency to behave in a more gung-ho manner.

Drivers of smaller vehicles instinctively know that if they are involved in a car accident with a larger vehicle they will invariably come of worse and might suffer an injury such as whiplash. Statistics seem to back this up, suggesting that if you are the driver of a smaller car (especially a mature driver) you will be more aware of car accident dangers and drive in defensive manner in the hope of avoiding a car crash and a potentially costly car accident claim.

Small cars and whiplash in the US
If you are the driver of one of the vehicles that scores best in road safety tests such as a Land Rover, Jaguar or a Saab then you are in possession of the knowledge that your car has added weight, the latest airbag technology, and anti-whiplash head restraints. So for some drivers of these vehicles, the thought of a potential event like a whiplash accident claim is secondary in their thoughts to the simple practicality of getting from A to B.

In the United States the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently carried out safety tests on the smallest cars available on the US market. Only one car, the Nissan Versa, achieved high ratings in all three, front, side and rear crash tests. This has important implications for car accidents and car accident claims in the US.

While a large number of Europe's foreign statesmen are busy trying to convince the US to cut carbon emissions and meet Kyoto protocols it seems they will have little success in convincing US motorists to trade their SUVs for smaller vehicles when the smaller vehicles are still significantly less crashworthy than their bigger counterparts. It is a straightforward choice: help save the planet and be at higher risk of whiplash, spinal injury and death or save your own neck and continue to add to spiralling carbon emissions. If you are a member of the US driving public you simply don't want to become just another car accident claim statistic.

This is little wonder when you listen to a seasoned accident claim expert voice like Insurance Institute for Highway Safety chairman, Adrian Lund, "When a vehicle's seat/head restraint design isn't good, people are more likely to suffer neck injuries [such as whiplash] in rear impacts," he says. This is the most common kind of car accident in busy traffic. In the US over 2 million car accident claims are made for whiplash injuries every year, at a cost of more than $8 billion. Startlingly over 10% of these whiplash injuries develop into a chronic whiplash injury or permanent disability.

One can understand the US public's distaste for smaller cars when Lund says, "The seat/head restraint combinations in every car except the Versa that we tested this time around wouldn't provide adequate protection against whiplash."

Small cars and whiplash in Europe and the UK
The news coming from Europe on smaller cars is a little better for those drivers of small cars who fear car crashes, personal injuries such as whiplash and any resultant accident claims for compensation. In the most recent Thatcham whiplash safety tests it was found that 80% of European derived seats achieved a 'good' or 'acceptable' score in whiplash tests. A high number of those tested were small cars.

Another advantage to being the driver of a small car in Europe compared to the US is that there are less large and heavy vehicles on the road, meaning there's a reduced chance of a European small car driver becoming embroiled in a serious personal injury car accident claim.

Ultimately the question of whether to drive a big car or a small car is a matter of personal choice. The good news in the UK is that in the 2007 Thatcham whiplash survey small cars performed better than ever, which shows manufacturers are moving in the right direction.

Making a no win, no fee accident claim
At Car Accident Advice Line we have a wealth of experience in dealing with car accident claims.

We also have a tradition of success. In fact, our panel of personal injury solicitors have an outstanding success rate in dealing with car accident claims.

We are proud of this. We are also proud of being truly no win, no fee. If you win, we will not touch a penny of your compensation award because it is yours. And even if your no win, no fee claim is unsuccessful you will not have to pay anything as we take out an insurance policy on your behalf to cover any legal expenses.

Our legal advisors are available for consultation 24hrs a day. You can fill out an online claim form from the comfort of your own desk, request a call back at a time convenient to you or call 0808 143 43 42 and speak to us now.