UK car dealers targeted to cut whiplash injuries

London, September 1 -- A campaign urging UK car dealerships to play a proactive role in whiplash injury prevention, by showing buyers how to position their head restraints properly, is launched today to coincide with the new September registrations.

The campaign comes from esure, Sainsbury's Bank, Thatcham (the premier motor insurer supported research centre) and Lyons Davidson Solicitors, the UK principal for 'Save Your Neck', who have joined forces and written to over 3,000 car dealerships. The letters, which will arrive on 1st September, urge those selling new or second-hand cars to demonstrate the correct head restraint alignment to purchasers.

The campaign comes three weeks before 'Save Your Neck' day when head restraint demonstrations will take place a number of Sainsbury's car parks. The four organisers will also be distributing credit card sized 'crib cards' showing how to adjust head restraints optimally.

Whiplash can occur at speeds as low as five miles an hour and around 20% of people involved in rear-end collisions later experience whiplash symptoms. It affects an estimated 200,000 people each year in the UK , over 2,000 of which have permanent disabilities (Source: Association of British Insurers). Injuries are often not evident but involve 'invisible' damage to nerves, joints, ligaments and bones. Around £1.6bn of whiplash claims are met each year from drivers' insurance premiums and 80% of all personal injury costs are for whiplash.

Many whiplash injuries could be prevented - or minimised - if head restraints in cars are positioned correctly; research conducted by Thatcham indicates that 72% of front seat occupants do not adjust their head restraints correctly .

The letters from esure, Sainsbury's Bank, Thatcham and Lyons Davidson urge car dealerships to make the best use of their demonstration opportunities to make a huge potential difference to their customers' safety.

Gordon Hannah, Head of Claims at esure, said: "Car dealerships will usually demonstrate all of the controls in a car to a purchaser as part of the sale. We believe they can use this unique chance to show how to position a head restraint - and more importantly why they should do so. If there is a strong uptake, we estimate it could bring about a strong reduction in the number of injuries".

Editors' notes:

Contact details for the four organisations involved are included on a separate sheet.

Further statistics or information on whiplash in the UK are available from Thatcham on http://www.thatcham.org/

- esure is one of the UK's fast growing motor insurers. It is a joint venture between Peter Wood and HBOS plc, has over 600,000 policies in force and employs over 1000 people in the UK.

- Sainsbury's Bank is a joint venture with Halifax Bank of Scotland (55% Sainsbury's, 45% Halifax Bank of Scotland) and was recently named as the "Best Overall Provider" in the 2003 Your Money Direct Awards, selected by a panel of consumers and industry judges.

- The Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre, or 'Thatcham' as it is widely known was formed in 1969 by British Insurers.. Its main aim is to carry out research targeted at containing or reducing the cost of motor insurance claims, whilst maintaining safety standards for the motoring public.

- Lyons Davidson Solicitors is a leading UK law firm with offices in Bristol, New Malden, Solihull and Plymouth. The firm specialises in the field of Personal Injury law and is dedicated to providing up to date research and information on Whiplash and other topical issues through conferences to insurers and those in the legal and medical professions.

esure, Adrian Webb - Head of External Communications, Office: +44 (0)1737 641000, Mobile: +44 (0)771 862 8723 (evenings and weekends);

Sainsbury's Bank, Phil Anderson / Stephanie Barrett (Citigate Dewe Rogerson), Office: +44 (0)20 7638 9571, Mobile: +44 (0)7939 123 220;

Thatcham, Lesley Upham - Sales & Marketing Manager, Office: +44 (0)1635 294829, Mobile: +44 (0)7733 300472 (evenings and weekends);

Lyons Davidson Solicitors, Karen O'Donohoe, Mobile: +44 (0)7729 719 412 (evenings and weekends)