Car seat and head restraints continue improving

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Thatcham tests have shown improvements in seat and head restraint safety overall which should help reduce serious whiplash injuries - 1st May 2008

Protection offered in preventing whiplash injury when involved in a car accident has improved with much better seat and head restraint design. 

Thatcham who have been involved in testing seats since 2004 for the protection given against whiplash injuries to the occupants, say that vehicle manufacturers are listening to their findings and safety is gradually improving.

The small city car market is the worst performing group despite the greatest number of whiplash injuries occurring around urban areas due to low speed shunts.

The results show that as the cars get larger and more up-market there appears to be more vehicles in that class with a 'good' rating from the Thatcham tests.

The overall 'good' rating has improved from 16% in 2005 to 35% in the 2008 tests. The 'acceptable' and 'marginal' ratings are almost the same over the same period but crucially the 'poor' rated seats has fallen from 36% in 2005 to 16% in 2008. Most of the current 'poor' rated seats are old designs which will shortly be replaced.