Blame for neck injury

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33878, 25 June 1975, Page 14

Blame for neck injury

GV.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 24. The Government’s failure to require that new cars be fitted with head-rests was criticised at the annual conference of the Chiropractors’ Association.

The chairman of the association’s spinal injuries committee (Dr L. C. Blackbourn) said that by making seatbelts compulsory without considering head-rests, the Government might have aggravated the problem of whiplash injury. Chiropractors were seeing the effects of such injuries every’ day, and such accidents were increasing. "This is by far the most damaging type of injury suffered in minor accidents, most of which occur in 30 m.p.h. areas. ‘‘When a person is involved in a rear-end colli-' sion, the body, supported by I the seat back, moves for-

Jward with the car. The head, delicately balanced on a relaxed neck and unsupported by a conventional seat, is thrust violently backawards. “At the end of its extended movement, the head is jerked forward by the elastic recoil of the supporting tissues of the neck,” said Dr Blackbourn. The whiplash victim was likely to be left with a reduced and distorted spinal movement, and weakness in

the supporting structure of the spine. “It is noticeable that new cars being brought into the country all have head-rests, but New Zealand-assembled cars do not.” The association decided to approach the Government, Automobile Association, road safety committees, and the Accident Compensation Commission to seek adequate head restraints on the front 1 seats of all new cars.