Prevent Whiplash Injury

by: Nick Jervis
Do Collision Avoidance Systems Prevent Whiplash? Crash test safety can be divided into two distinct areas - secondary safety, which is technology that helps the occupant survive the forces of a crash and primary safety, which is designed to prevent the car from crashing in the first place. Collision avoidance systems have become popular amongst manufacturers as they tackle the problem of primary safety whilst working in conjunction with existing secondary safety equipment such as airbags and reinforced passenger capsules. Collision avoidance systems use an automatic braking application to reduce the speed of a vehicle rather than to control the direction of the car. New technology such as radar, laser and optical sensors are now being fitted to cars that will enable the car as well as the driver to monitor road conditions and traffic levels and give it the ability to 'sense' the distance between vehicles. All of this combines to make driving safer and while some people may still think that it falls within the realms of science fiction companies such as Thatcham, who have been actively working towards developing such systems, say that these cutting edge technological breakthroughs could prevent more than 125,000 injuries a year. Collision avoidance systems are designed to mitigate and in some instances prevent low speed impacts, which are the most common type of crash on the road. The technology makes split second calculations and if it detects that an obstacle is in the path of the car and the driver fails to slow down, it will automatically apply the brakes and disables the accelerator at speeds up to 20mph. Rear end shunts and collisions cause million of pounds worth of damage to vehicles every year and account for 75% of all road traffic incidents. They are also the most common cause of whiplash injury and subsequently the most common reason for an injury compensation claim by drivers. The systems that are set to be incorporated into some of the most popular mainstream cars have been described as a massive breakthrough for keeping motorists safe. Although it may take some years for crash avoidance systems to become standard in all models of cars, once they do become commonplace manufacturers believe that the number of injuries on the road will tumble. However, having a crash avoidance system fitted should not lower the vigilance of the driver, and they certainly shouldn't be seen as an excuse to take greater risks on the road in the belief that a system will prevent all accidents. The emphasis is still on the driver to drive in a manner that will ensure the safety of other road users, including pedestrians. Through the implementation of primary safety measures such as collision avoidance systems and continuing research and development into secondary systems such as front pre-crash 'intelligent' headrests, it is hoped that incidences of whiplash injury will be greatly reduced. Whiplash currently accounts for three quarters of all road traffic accident compensation claims in the UK every year, with 1,200 claims being submitted every day. Research into the causes, effects and treatment of the injury have driven companies like Thatcham to push the boundaries of vehicle safety technology to new levels. Everyone hopes that the result will be fewer injuries on the road and a safer environment for all car drivers and their passengers.
Article Source:http://www.articlecity.com/articles/legal/article_1376.shtml