1. Shop for a Safer Car
Before you buy your next car, compare vehicle structural design, vehicle size and weight, and restraint systems – belts, air bags, head restraints, and crash avoidance. features. Small cars put you and your passengers at greater risk, so consider mass and crashworthiness. Also, check Insurance
Institute Highway Safety ratings.
2. Keep head rests in the UP position.
Eighty percent of cars have the head restraint adjusted in the LOW position, yet research reveals that having no head restraint is safer than having one in the LOW position. Many people are unaware that these can be adjusted and they should be done so to minimize damage to the neck in a car accident. Some add-on head restraints are available, but check first for safety and ease of installation.
3. No crush, no crash?
Within a certain range of crash speeds, when there is NO DAMAGE to the vehicle, whiplash injuries are more prevalent than when the vehicle is damaged. The reason is that the energy that's used up in crushing parts of the car is not transmitted to the occupant. Even if there is little visible damage to your vehicle after a car accident, it is best to be seen as soon as possible by a chiropractor to properly evaluate the spine. Anyone can be subjected to whiplash, even in a low-force car crash at speeds as low as 5 m.p.h.
4. Seek treatment immediately.
It is a huge advantage to a victim's recovery to begin treating the whiplash injury within two weeks after the accident by a doctor who specializes in whiplash injuries. Immediate treatment will decrease the likelihood of a painful, chronic condition. Whiplash symptoms may or may not appear right away. After a night's rest or even longer (symptoms can take weeks to months to appear), you will usually experience stiffness or soreness of the neck and/or back. Often victims are stunned immediately after an accident and do not note any of the whiplash effects. But delaying treatment and thinking the pain "will just go away" may make it more difficult later to alleviate the symptoms.
5. Do what your doctor orders.
Physical therapy, massage, chiropractic, nutrition, exercise, better pillows, adjusted work stations, etc. – do exactly what your doctor prescribes. Your doctor has great experience in knowing what needs to be done to heal, and following his instructions will minimize permanent problems.
6. Think ergonomically.
Positions to avoid, how to sleep, conditions at work – these are everyday factors that can hasten healing. Your doctor is trained to help discover possible obstacles to heal properly and help you get better relief while sleeping, working, etc.
