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Most Head Restraints Rated Marginal or Poor
April 12, 2007
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that more than 60 percent of head restraints in car models it tested were not up to par.
Only 22 of current car models had head restraint designs rated "good" for rear crash protection. Of the 75 car models tested, 53 head restraint designs were rated marginal or poor.
The Problem
Whiplash is the most commonly reported injury resulting from car accidents, causing $8.5 billion in costs for about two million insurance claims yearly. While whiplash is usually not life threatening, it can be extremely painful and debilitating.
Good head restraint design can greatly minimize whiplash in car accidents.
"The key to reducing whiplash injury risk is to keep the head and torso moving together," said Adrian Lund, IIHS president. "To accomplish this, the geometry of a head restraint has to be adequate and so do the stiffness characteristics of the vehicle seat. Then the seat and head restraint have to work in concert to support an occupant's neck and head, accelerating them with the torso as the vehicle is driven forward."
"It's disappointing that so many designs are still rated marginal or poor . Neck injuries are common in crashes, and it's not difficult or expensive to design more protective seat/head restraints," he added.
The Good
The cars that received high ratings for their head restraints included all Volvo models; the Audi A4, A6, and S4; the Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego; Nissan Versa and Sentra; Saab 9-3/Subaru Imprezza; and the Subaru Legacy and Outback.
There were 12 car models rated "acceptable."
The Bad
The following cars received the worst seat/head restraint ratings from the IIHS: BMW 5 series (when equipped with certain seats), Buick Lacrosse (when equipped with certain seats), Cadillac DTS, Mitsubishi Galant (when equipped with certain seats), Pontiac Grand Prix, Suzuki Forenza, and Suzuki Reno.
Injured as a result of poor crashworthiness? You may be able to recover compensation for your pain, suffering, and expenses. Please contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced car crashworthiness attorney who can answer your questions and inform you of your legal rights and options.
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