Prevention is Possible:
How Head Restraints
Can Prevent Whiplash
Injuries
Funded by the
AUTO21 Network of Centers of Excellence
Who, what, when, why & how?
AUTO 21 - Network of
Centres of Excellence
for Canada
6 UBC + 1 U Windsor
Researchers + Sponsors
Researchers:
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D. Romilly (Pr. Lead – UBC, Mech. Eng.)
M. White (UBC, Fam. Med. – CIRPD)
E. Desirapriya (UBC Ped. BCIRPU)
P. Lawrence (UBC, Elec. & Com. Eng.)
J.S. Blouin (UBC, Hum. Kinetics)
G. Siegmund (UBC, Hum. Kin. – MEA)
A. Snowdon (U Windsor – Business)
Sponsors: The Woodbridge Group
MEA Forensic Engineers
R&D for Vehicle for 21st Century:
Health, Safety and Injury Prevention
 Societal Issues & Future Automobile
 Materials and Manufacturing
 Powertrains, Fuels and Emissions
 Design Processes
 Intelligent Systems and Sensors
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200 researchers at 45 universities
with over 150 industry and
government partners
Who, what, when, why & how?
AUTO 21 Project A402:
Prevention: Reducing
Occupant Injury in Rear
End Collisions
Started: April 2009
Prevention: Developing
Strategies for Improved Head
Restraint Use
Development of an Automatic
Head Restraint Positioning
System – Future Vehicles
Ending: March 2011 - ?
(possible 1 yr renewal)
Development of Seat
Whiplash Mitigation
Systems – Future Vehicles
Who, what, when, why & how?
Typical seat:
Future seat:
Head restraint:
Head restraint:
(fixed or manually
adjustable – limited
movement)
(actively adjusts to
the occupant )
Seat back:
Seat back:
(static design for
the average person)
(adaptive design
adjusts to both
occupant & impact)
Seat base:
Seat base:
(not designed as a
safety component)
(energy absorbing to
reduce injury risk)
Current fleet (here now!)
Future fleet
(when?)
Who, what, when, why & how?
AUTO 21 Project A402:
Prevention: Developing
Strategies for Improved
Head Restraint Use
“Whiplash Campaign”
Advisory Committee
Goal:
Prevention is possible!
Increase proper HR use!
Methods:
1) Increase awareness
through intervention
programs
2) Increase number of
“good” vehicles in fleet
3) Assess HR use in BC
and effectiveness of
programs
Who, what, when, why & how?
Current Initiatives:
1) Focus groups:
“Whiplash Campaign”
Fleet Manager & OH&S
2) Advisory steering committee:
Fleet Manger, OH&S,
Health Professionals
Advisory Committee
3) Web Portal & Resource dev.:
www.whiplashprevention.org
4) Observational studies
(BC public & stakeholder sites)
5) Other dissemination efforts
(seminars, presentations, etc.)
Why? Consider the costs!
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In Canada whiplash injuries account for
over 2 million insurance claims each year
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In British Columbia alone, the economic costs
exceed C$ 600 million/year (ICBC)
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Whiplash injuries account for more than 70%
of all bodily injury claims (Navan et al., 2000).
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Cost is in terms of
 lost work productivity
 medical care
 disability
 sick leave
 litigation
What is the problem?
Incorrect
head restraint
position (86%)
Correct
head restraint
position (14%)
Males
7%
Head restraint
position statistics
in Canada
Females
23%
Source: IBC (2002)
What is the Problem?
NL
15%
BC
18%
AB
16%
PEI
8%
ON
13%
NS
12%
NB
7%
Proper head restraint positioning
statistics across Canada
When does whiplash occur?
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For many vehicle
types currently on
our roads, this
injury can occur at
impact speeds as
low as 8 km/h
(i.e. about 5 mph)
Rear - end
collision
Side - impact
collision
How does whiplash occur?
1. Normal position
3. Head extension
2. Spine straightens
4. Rebound
Is prevention possible?
Yes!
Serious injuries can
be prevented
Is prevention possible?
Studies have shown that
properly adjusted “good” rated
head restraints can reduce
serious neck injuries by 35%
How can whiplash be prevented?
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Raise the head restraint (HR) so that the center
of the head restraint is slightly above the top of
the ear
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The head restraint should be
2 - 8 centimeters from
the back of your head
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When adjusted properly the head restraint can
be very effective in preventing injuries
How can whiplash be prevented?
Better position!
Too low & too far away!
How can whiplash be prevented?
http://www.ibc.ca/en/BeSmartBeSafe/Video/index.asp
Resting your head isn’t the same as restraining it!
This part of the vehicle is for resting.
This isn’t
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Strategies
Literature review & identification of credible web resources
Planning of a web portal www.whiplashprevention.org
Initial Focus group - Fleet Managers &
Occupational Health & Safety
Establishment of advisory steering committees
Develop and pilot test targeted surveys
Create meaningful educational resources
U Tube video clips for secondary/ post secondary
Create social media communication plan
What has been done to-date?
1.
Completion of literature review and book
- Head Restraints and Whiplash: The Past, Present and
Future
2.
Development of credible content
3.
Initial focus group & fleet managers survey
4.
Beta version of web portal: www.whiplashprevention.org
5.
BC Fleet Manager Presentation (June 18, 2010)
6.
International Cochrane Systematic Review (Protocol stage)
7.
Establishment of Advisory Steering Committee (July 2010)
8.
Road-side observational survey (on-going)
www.whiplashprevention.org
Future work
1.
Pilot-testing head restraint prevalence surveillance
system at organizations with large passenger car
fleets in BC
2.
To conduct intervention programs at different
organizations
3.
Completion of International Cochrane Systematic
Review
The goal
Change in current practice
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Buy or lease safer vehicles
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Adjust head restraint properly for maximum protection
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Implement and sustain educational programs and policies
to improve safety behaviour
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Social marketing initial roll out in BC
Our goal
Refining web-based tool
Users select make, model, type, year
 Head restraint rating
 Overall safety rating
 Green ratings
 Cost
 Selection of better alternatives
 Best across all categories
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Your inputs, ideas & participation in the
project activities are welcome!
Thank you for your participation!
Take home message
Prevention is possible!
Take action today
to save lives
&
to reduce cost!
Advisory Steering Committee
Organizational Partners
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Air Canada
BC Hydro
BC Automobile Association
Burnaby City Hall
Canadian Institute for the Relief of Pain and Disability
Health Employers Association of BC
Insurance Corporation of BC
Massage Therapists Association of BC
MEA Forensics
New Car Dealers of BC
Physiotherapy Association of BC
Terasen Gas
Acknowledgements
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AUTO21
Biomechanical Research & Testing, LLC
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
Thatcham
Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC)
Insurance Bureau of Canada.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
Canadian Institute for the Relief of Pain and Disability
BC Injury Research & Prevention Unit
UBC Departments of Family Practice, Pediatrics &
Mechanical Engineering