What are the risk factors for long-term injury from a rear-end collision?
There are hundreds of them. A recent engineering study attempted to predict which variables would result in injury in their test occupants exposed to low speed crashes. Even when taking into account 18 different measurable factors, their predictions were only 70% accurate. Over the past twenty years, researchers have compiled a list of factors and variables believed to influence the risk of injury. • The angle of the collision. • The speed and size of the vehicles involved. • Road conditions. • Occupant head position. • Gender. Women are more likely to be injured than are men. • Occupant awareness. An occupant who is aware of the impending impact is less likely to suffer long-term consequences, as they have time to “brace” themselves for the impact, lessening the severity of injury to the soft-tissues of the neck. • The proper use of head restraints. • Safety belts. Some researchers have suggested that seatbelts may increase the risk of injury in rear-end collision. (NOTE: Seat belts s
