Car Accidents and Safety
Is your car safe?
Most cars have objects inside that aren't secure. In high impact crashes, these objects can turn into deadly weapons. It is important to use secured storage spaces such as the glove box and center console to store loose objects. A cell phone, for example, could have enough force to fracture a skull in the event of a high impact car accident. Cargo barriers that can be locked in place have been shown to save lives.
Seatbelts
In 1999, sixty-three percent of people who died in car accidents were not wearing their seat belts. Research has show that the risk of death for a belted person in the front seat goes up 400 percent when someone in the back seat is not wearing their seat belt. Buckle up!
Whiplash
The most common injury from a car accident is whiplash. Common symptoms of whiplash include neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain and back pain. Whiplash can lead to long term disability, with nearly 25 percent of cases resulting in chronic pain.
Treatment
The emergency room is great for first response treatment. However, once X-rays are shown to be normal, you will likely be given pain medication and told to go home and rest. Chiropractors are extensively trained to detect and treat whiplash injuries. Without proper care, injuries may heal, leaving scar tissue which is not as flexible as healthy tissue. Untreated whiplash injuries have been shown to lead to early onset arthritis.
