A health organisation has revealed that road accidents are the most likely cause of death to young people worldwide. It was also exposed that a great deal of whiplash claims from people who were under the age of 25.

Approximately 250,000 motorists suffer whiplash injuries every year in the UK and 25,000 are left with residual disabilities as a result. What is more concerning is that as many as 400,000 young people die from road accidents every year and millions are left with serious personal injuries.

However, it appears that the majority of these road accidents could have been prevented and young people could be spared from suffering whiplash injuries. A spokesperson stated: “Road traffic crashes are not 'accidents'. We need to challenge the notion that they are unavoidable and make room for a proactive, preventative approach.”

According to figures from car insurance companies in the USA on average 33% of people involved in car accidents experience neck pain. 11% of that number attends an accident emergency department. 3% of this number consults their GP and 1 % of this number consults their doctor more than once. It was also discovered that one third of this number which is around one person in three hundred develops chronic neck pain such as whiplash associated disorders.

It is considered that by encouraging drivers to learn about car safety devices such as child restraints and seat belts, the wearing of motorcycle and bicycle helmets could reduce the chance of any sort of injury. Whilst many whiplash injuries are the result of a car accident, playing sports can be just as dangerous for developing whiplash. Contact sports such as rugby and martial arts notoriously cause personal injury, especially neck injuries.

29% of all injuries suffered by rugby union players were related to head and neck injuries, 59% of which were suffered while tackling or being tackled. In contrast, one of the most dangerous sports – race driving is relatively safe against injuries causing whiplash. Although the drivers travel at speeds of well over 100mph, they often escape their cars unhurt, because they have protection against whiplash. This is because the cars are fitted with head and neck support system which features a carbon fibre collar connected to their upper body with straps that attach to the helmet. It works by keeping the head in a stable position in the event of an accident.


Catherine has more articles on whiplash claims as well as other personal injury related articles.