It is unlikely that if your driving slowly and have a bump or accident in your car that damage will occur to your vehicle. For a long time accident investigators believed that because of this the likelihood of personal injury caused by this type of car accident would occur.
However this has in later years been heavily refuted by many of the people involved in low speed car accidents who have suffered neck injury or whiplash injuries.
A car accident that happens at a speed of less than 10 miles per hour is referred to as a low velocity impact and this type of car accident accounts for many of the bumps that happen on todays UK roads, especially in busy or queuing traffic.
Vehicle manufacturers build a strong car today capable of withstanding a bump or two and therefore the likelihood of a vehicle having to be repaired from this type of accident is low.
However research recently on this subject has found that the forces that are exerted on the body mean that whiplash injuries suffered by those involved in low velocity car accidents are not uncommon.
A study in 1998 showed that 38% of people involved in 5mph car accidents were found to have sustained mild whiplash injury. Although this study was criticised because of the health and age of the subject which could actually mean the figure is lower than it should be.
In another survey it was found that when people suffer from this kind of car accident they experience the startle response causing a persons neck muscles to contract excessively potentially causing damage and whiplash injury.
All these findings show why passengers and not just the drivers suffer from the symptoms of whiplash injury as they are less likely to be expecting the accident to happen.
Have you been involved in a low velocity car crash?
Get in touch today with a Real Compensation advisor today for a no obligation consultation and we will do our very best to ensure you receive the best possible advise in your personal injury claim.
Call us today on 0845 867 65 44 |
