Whiplash Is a Bitch
As the size of your car insurance bill indicates, there's been a lot of research into the mechanics of whiplash injury. The resulting active headrest technology is way cool, but problems with pain and prolonged recovery persist. ScienceDaily reports on a Swedish insurance claims study that followed 1000 whiplash car insurance claims. The Nordic researchers found that sufferers' expectations for a good or complete recovery correlated with a lower rate of pain and disability six months later– even when controlling for the severity of the pain. Mind over matter? We don't mind if it doesn't really matter. Why not keep your hopes up the next time your ABS-equipped car gets smacked by someone else? [Caveats: study enrollment was based on insurance claims, so unreported minor fender benders as well as outright fatalities are excluded, possibly skewing the results. Study was completed between 2004 – 2005 in Sweden, so results may not be applicable to you. Lack of [decent] headrests, adverse driving conditions in third world countries and other variable may increase your risk. Reading TTAC for medical advice may cause certain side effects, including persistent cynicism, nasal beverage ejection and compulsive commenting. Should symptoms persist, see your medical professional.]
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Actually, one of the biggest drivers of insurance rates is the ability of the insurance companies to make money on their reserve. When they can invest it and make 20% profits, they all compete for drivers. When they can't make much money on it, they raise rates to make up the difference, and really don't care that much if they lose a few. Basically, insurance companies are really in the business of borrowing money from a pool of people and only paying it back in claims while making profits off of the interest in the meantime. Lastly, "Reading TTAC for medical advice may cause certain side effects, including persistent cynicism, nasal beverage ejection and compulsive commenting. Should symptoms persist, see your medical professional." Too true. Thanks TTAC.
That nasal beverage ejection is a killer!!!
I would feel extremely uncomfortable driving or riding in a vehicle without decent headrests. Our socialist non-profit Saskatchewan car insurance doesn't pay out anything for soft tissue injuries unless there's actual evidence of damage. Sure, you could probably sit at home and complain that you can't work and collect 90% of your base income if you really wanted to, but you can't get anything extra out of the deal. Strangely, recovery times are about 1/3 of what they were before this system was instituted. It seems that people recover faster if you don't pay them to say they're hurt. Who woulda thunk it? I love our insurance system. $1800 a year for a 16 year old male to insure an '08 Z06, provided his driving record is clean!