http://autos.aol.com/article/safety/...06114809990002


NEW YORK (April 5) - Head restraints in several passenger vehicles provided marginal or poor protection against neck injuries and whiplash, the insurance industry reported Thursday in new crash test results.

Only 22 of 75 vehicles tested in a simulated rear crash at 20 miles per hour received the top score of good from the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Several 2007 vehicles got the lowest score of poor in the tests. The vehicles include: Acura TSX, some versions of the BMW 5 Series, Buick Lacrosse and Lucerne; Cadillac CTS, STS and DTS; Chevrolet Aveo, Pontiac Grand Prix, Honda Accord and Fit; Hyundai Accent, Infiniti M35, Jaguar X-Type, Kia Rio, Mitsubishi Galant, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Corolla, and the Suzuki Forenza and Reno.

The institute estimates that neck injuries account for 2 million insurance claims annually costing at least $8.5 billion.

Among the top vehicles for head protection, according to the Institute's testing, were the Audi A4, A6 and S4; Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego; Hyundai Sonata, Jaguar S-Type, Kia Optima, Mercedes E-Class, Nissan Sentra and Versa; Saab 9-3, Subaru Impreza, Outback and Legacy; Volvo S40, S60, S80; the Honda Civic 2-door and 4-door versions and some versions of the Volkswagen New Beetle.

 

Nice! Cobalt FTW!

Its kind of strange that an Acura and a BMW were on the fail list.

 

especially a 5 series bimmer

 

Woo Hoo! It's good for something!

 

I wonder how much this has to do with the positioning of the side airbags?

 

Side airbags should not deploy in a slow rear impact crash.

This shows that we have a goot head support, not good airbags. When hit in the rear, car moves forward, head hits headrest. If headrest is too far away, you can get whiplash.

 

I dont believe this ****! My neck and back of my head is STILL messed up from my car accident.... :-( and that was feb 28

 

wow... I guess the fit isn't go.