Whiplash prevention campaign launched

Date: 16/10/2009

A campaign has been created to urge companies to prevent whiplash.

Safety charity Break is creating the Move Up campaign to call on fleet safety managers to get expert advice on head restraints.

More than 1,000 personal injury claims related to whiplash are made every day.

Research carried out in August by Brake and Direct Line Car Insurance found that two thirds of drivers never or rarely checked their head restraints - only one in seven said that they always check.

A workshop is to be held on December 2nd in Thatcham, Berkshire, to promote the importance of good head restraint practice.

Roz Cumming, Fleet Safety Forum manager at Brake, said: "Given that the majority of drivers still don't know how to position their head restraints correctly, this is clearly an important and valuable workshop for fleet safety professionals."

Whiplash is caused when a sudden movement damages ligaments in the neck.

Recovery from the injury can take several months.