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The Headrest Test | Northern Ireland

The Headrest Test | Northern Ireland

We help many clients claim for compensation following a car accident year on year and the most common injury type we see is soft tissue damage to the neck, better known as whiplash. It’s actually predicted that half of all car crashes result in a whiplash injury. Despite there being no sure way to totally eliminate this injury type due to the fragility of the neck there is a really simple way to reduce the potential for damage.

Headrest Test

The headrest in a car isn’t just designed for comfort but is also a safety feature and the headrest test allows motorists to determine the correct headrest position to minimise whiplash should an accident occur. The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) asked people if they were familiar with such a test but shockingly 1/3 of those that answered had not. As a result, we’re helping get the word around.

This is how to do the test:

  • Tilt the headrest forward until it is as close as possible, ideally touching your head.
  • Raise the headrest until the top of it is in line with the top of your head.
  • Sit in a normal comfortable driving position and check the position with your hand and rear-view mirror.
  • Repeat until satisfied with the positioning.

In cars that have limited headrest adjustment you might find tilting the seat forward will help. You may also wish to advise any passengers to do the test too.


The correct headrest position can significantly reduce whiplash injuries but they’re unavoidable in some accidents. If you’ve suffered from whiplash in a road collision learn how we can help or contact us for a free, no obligation chat with one of our solicitors.

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