In this edition we will cover the most common, and often overlooked injury that can occur out on the roadways. Click ‘read online’ above for the most easy readable version. Past topics can be found by scrolling to the bottom. Feel free to forward this to friends or family who you think this may help!

Low Speed Rear-end Collisions with Minimal Evidence of Car Damage Can Injure You!

Has this ever been you? You’re sitting in the car at a traffic stop. Someone driving the car behind you is not paying close attention. There’s a huge thud. You feel your body lunge forward. You’ve been rear-ended. When the shock wears off you get out to inspect the damage, only to find that despite the huge jolt you felt, your car is barely or even unnoticeably damaged. And aside from being shocked by the episode, you feel okay. You figured that since the car wasn’t smashed-in by the impact, it couldn’t have been bad enough to hurt you. Then… in the days that follow… you start to fall apart. Headaches, neck pain, numbness. Why?

A Brief and Easy Physics Lesson

When a pole-vaulter clears the 18-foot bar and plummets earthward, the athlete is counting on the landing-mat crumbling-in to cushion the landing. The deeper the crumple, the more force that is absorbed into the mat, and the less force imparted to the body. If the mat did not crumple-in, the vaulter would be injured. When your car does not crumble-in most all the force of the rear-end collisions is conserved and transmitted to your body.

Ever have one of these cool toys pictured above? Newton’s Cradle is a series of ball bearings hanging from strings. When ball ‘A’ swings into the ball next to it, that ball does not crumble-in, but rather transmits the collision force through the rest of the balls until it gets to ‘B’ which goes flying outward. The car that rear-ends you is ‘A’. Your car is the next three balls. Your body is ‘B’.

IndyCars are Designed to Crumble

Have you ever watched a racecar crash at high speed and break apart only to find the driver climbing out virtually unscathed. This is because unlike your daily driver, these cars are designed with ‘crumble zones’ to absorb the forces by breaking apart to spare the driver.

Nerf Ball Physics

Force is measured by the simple equation of Mass (weight) times Acceleration (speed). The faster something is moving the more force it can generate. The heavier something in motion is, the more force it can generate. This is why you can get shot in the forehead with a nerf gun and laugh about it. The foam ball may be traveling at 60 mph, but it weights practically nothing. The average car however weights around 4000 pounds, and while moving as slow as 3-5 mph can generate enough of a jolt to injure you if your rear bumper does not crumble-in and absorb the force.

Your Head Goes From 0-60 in a Flash

If you are sitting still when rear-ended by a car traveling as little as 3-5 miles per hour you will experience huge acceleration of your head and neck. Your head and neck will fly backward at high speed. Then your head and torso will fly forward. (Think ball bearing ‘B’)

It’s during this whipping episode that the tissues (ligaments and discs) that hold your spine together get damaged. Research with crash test dummies and human subjects has shown that ligamentous damage is very common in even low speed rear-end collisions. Below is a link to my edition that covers whiplash and ligament damage in detail for your review.

Now that you are a physics expert - don’t let minimal car damage fool you into thinking you have not been hurt. Especially considering that there is often a delay in the onset of symptoms—anywhere from a few hours, to several days, and even as long as a couple weeks!

Why a delay?

There are a few reasons. Here’s two of the common ones:

• When you are shocked by the impact your brain releases substances that reduce your initial pain perception.

• Damaged tissues in the spine will go through an inflammation cycle that can start slowly and build up with time over several days.

What Should We Do?

If you have been rear-ended—get yourself checked here in my office and do so sooner rather than later. Here is why:

1. The sooner you start any needed treatment, the greater your chance of not ending up with long term problems with things like headaches, neck/back pain, and numbness.

2. VERY IMPORTANT: Your auto insurance under the no-fault law will cover your treatment here with little or no out of pocket expense - BUT - you must get examined within 2 weeks of the date of accident, or your coverage will no longer apply.

3. We have nearly 40 years experience in helping folks with this kind of injury.

What if YOU rear-end someone?

First - forgive yourself. I have learned over the years that even the finest folks can have a bad moment on the road. Second - You can certainly be similarly injured. Coming to a sudden stop will also cause a whiplashing motion to your head and neck. Your car insurance covers treatment with us regardless of who is at fault. This is why it’s called NO FAULT INSURENCE here in Florida.

Don’t Buy the BS

The idea that you can’t be hurt if your car isn’t noticeably damaged is simply not true and is a belief one might suggest has been circulated by the insurance industry to protect their profits. Your health is far more important, and the coverage you have through your PIP (personal injury protection part of your car insurance), regardless of fault, is a benefit we all pay for. Use it!

Legalities?

Permanent damage to ligaments and discs in your spine can result from low speed rear-end collisions. These kinds of injuries do entitle you to compensation for pain and suffering under Florida Insurance Law. This can be a complicated matter, and we can offer you advice and provide you with direction if needed. Call us first!

On the Level

Whiplash from low-speed collisions is extremely common, and should be treated with chiropractic care to avoid long-term problems. In a future edition I will cover how whiplash can even hurt the brain, and how we can protect ourselves while in the car to minimize the effects of getting rear-ended.

Thanks again for reading. Please share this email! Until next time,

Blessings to you!