The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has launched a new test aimed at preventing whiplash.<\/p>\n
The new seat and head restraint evaluation targets neck injuries stemming from rear-end crashes.<\/p>\n
\u201cNeck sprains and strains are the most frequently reported injuries in US auto insurance claims,\u201d said IIHS President David Harkey.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis new test challenges automakers to further improve their seats and head restraints to provide better protection in the rear impacts that typically cause these injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n
The IIHS assessed 18 small SUVs under the new whiplash prevention test. The good performers included the Audi Q3, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV4.<\/p>\n
The original IIHS head restraint test involved a single pulse equivalent to being struck at 20 mph by a vehicle of the same weight.<\/p>\n
That evaluation was dropped in 2022 because automakers had improved their designs so that virtually all the vehicles tested now earned good ratings.<\/p>\n
The IIHS said while these improvements reduced injury rates, the new test was needed to continue progress.<\/p>\n