If you crash, don't turn your head to the left or right!

If your head is turned to the left or the right at the time of a car accident, you are more likely to suffer from whiplash symptoms, according to a Yale School of Medicine report. Read more about common whiplash symptoms

The report published in March 2006 is the first study to quantify how a cervical spine injury or whiplash injury sustained during a car accident is affected by the driver or passenger turning their head to the left or right.

Turned heads suffer more chronic whiplash symptoms

Studies show that people sitting in a vehicle with their heads turned suffer much more chronic and longer-lasting whiplash symptoms than those looking straight ahead.

If during a car accident a car crashes or spins, this can cause the head to turn and swing even if the driver is trying to look ahead. Even with a secure seatbelt and head restraint, the movement of the head turning at high velocity can be extremely dangerous and complicate a whiplash injury.

The severity of neck ligament injuries during whiplash is affected by the rate of acceleration. In the Yale tests, four different impact acceleration rates were used ranging from 3.5g to 8g. At higher impact, injuries became more severe and spread throughout the neck.

More severe and complex injuries

There are more serious implications for a whiplash injury when the head is turned for several reasons. One is a stretch in neck ligaments which is not present when the head is facing forward.

Over-stretching of ligaments can cause tears in the ligaments and make the spine unstable. This in turn leads to neck pain. Over-stretching is worse when the car is hit from the rear.

A rear impact car accident combined with a head turn (rotated head posture) causes 3D head and neck movements and more serious injuries than when the head is facing straight ahead. When the head is looking forwards, only 2D head movements are experienced.

Women generally suffer more whiplash injuries than men, possibly because they have narrower necks. A smaller neck means less muscle mass and less support for the weight of the head. This means that whiplash injuries with a turned head will be more serious for women.

Manohar Panjabi, Departments of Orthopedics and mechanical engineering professor said: "This data may assist clinicians in developing improved diagnostic and treatment protocols."

Whiplash injury compensation claims

Every year, thousands of British motorists, especially those who drive on a regular basis, have a car accident and suffer from whiplash injuries.

If you have been involved in a non-fault accident and are experiencing serious or chronic whiplash symptoms, you can make a claim. Our team deal with personal injury cases every day and are successful with whiplash cases many of the time.

Call us now on 0808 143 43 42 and we will talk you through the claims process and explain how you can go about making a claim today.