Study Finds U.K. A Leader In Whiplash Claims

Whiplash claims are on the rise in the United Kingdom, with as many as 1,200 people a day claiming they suffered neck injury after an auto accident, according to a report released by the Association of British Insurers.

"The U.K. is the whiplash capital of Europe," declared the ABI in a statement.

Supporting that claim, the ABI said, 75 percent of auto personal injury claims are for whiplash compared to an average of 40 percent for the rest of Europe.

Over 430,000 people filed claims for whiplash in 2007--about one in 140 people in the United Kingdom, up by a quarter in the last five years--costing nearly ?2 billion (U.S. $2.96 billion at current exchange rate) in compensation. That translates into ?66 ($98), or 20 percent of auto premium being paid out for whiplash claims, a total of ?1.9 billion ($2.82 billion) every year.

In addition to the cost to insurers, doctor visits cost the National Health Service ?8 million ($11.85 million) per year, the organization said.

In his report, Stephen Haddrill, ABI director general, asked why Britons "seem to have such a greater tendency to get whiplash than the rest of Europe. Do we really have weaker necks?"

He responded that part of the answer lies in a failing personal injury compensation system and the nation's no-questions-asked approach to whiplash.

The extent of the problem is going unrealized by the government, whose statistics indicate the nation's roadways are getting safer, because accidents that cause whiplash are not reported to the police, the report suggested.

Malcolm Tarling, a spokesman for the ABI, said it is too soon to judge the impact of the report released today, but the ABI believes many will be surprised by the findings.

This report is the first, he said, prepared for a motor conference that wanted to examine the issue, and while whiplash has been an issue, no one has ever "assessed the scope and nature of it."

"The scale and scope [of the problem] is bigger than we thought," he observed.

The report made a few proposals to cut down the rate of whiplash, including:

o Improving driver behavior.

o Using anti-collision technology in vehicles.

o Correct head restraint adjustment.

o Protective vehicle seat design.

Mr. Tarling noted that the government will need to educate drivers, especially new drivers, about how to reduce the chance of an accident, including employing safe following distance. The ABI also proposed a government-led public awareness campaign on this issue.

The report did not examine the incidence of fraud-related claims, but Mr. Tarling said the system is susceptible to fraud, adding "it is a potential issue."