Most cars fare poorly in group’s whiplash test

Monday, Nov. 15, 2004 | 9:14 a.m.

Most cars do a poor or marginal job protecting passengers from whiplash injuries in a rear-end crash, according to crash tests of several models.

Of 73 cars tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, only eight received an overall good rating.

IIHS, an insurance industry group, says that while rear-end crashes might not be the most deadly accidents, whiplash and other injuries from such collisions account for at least $7 billion in insurance claims each year in the USA.

When a vehicle is hit from behind, an occupant's torso moves forward quickly. If the head is unprotected, it moves forward at a slower pace than the torso, causing the neck to bend back and stretch.

The cars scoring a good rating were all three Volvo models, Saab 9-2x and 9-3, Jaguar S-Type, Volkswagen New Beetle and Subaru Impreza.

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