Motorist are not the only ones who suffer from the effects of acceleration/deceleration injury aka “whiplash”. Military pilots on aircraft carriers many times received neck injuries from the catapult-assisted take offs, and that led to the construction of head restraints.

In one recent crash test performed by the Center for Research into Automotive Safety and Health, having the head forward by two inches significantly magnifies the force on the head. A low car seat head restraint can cause injury as the head pivots over the top in a rear end collision. Some injuries and accidents can’t be prevented but there are things that can be done to minimize the risk. While at a stop light making sure that the head is rested on the headrest will help reduce the risk of whiplash if rear ended.