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Whiplash is usually caused by a rear-end shunt which even at slower speeds can cause the occupants of a vehicle to have their heads jerked forward with such ferocity that a neck injury is caused.

The rear-end impact is, in fact, one of the most prevalent accidents on the roads of the UK. So it’s no great surprise that whiplash injury claims are common, and are one of the reasons for seemingly ever-rising car insurance premiums.

However, a good deal of both fiscal and physical pain can quite possibly be avoided by following some simple rules courtesy of the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). These lessen the odds of you being involved in a rear-end shunt and a potential ensuing neck injury.

A good starting place is to look at the basics, such as your seat position, particularly with regard to the head rest – which is a very important factor when it comes to lessening the odds of a whiplash injury. The top of the head rest should be level with the top of your head, and not underneath your head as many drivers tend to position it.

The same goes for your passengers, too. Make sure you check their headrests and belts.

The other important factor is obviously your driving itself. Try to both accelerate and brake smoothly, the golden rule of both economical and sensible driving – and avoiding injury claims, of course.

A good driver should always be watching the traffic ahead, wary of its flow and able to start applying the brakes earlier – and smoothly – should they see that other vehicles are starting to brake ahead.

That gradual braking and slowdown will give other drivers behind you plenty of time to react themselves.

When queued in traffic you should keep a watchful eye on the rear-view mirror and be aware of any cars approaching. It can be a good idea to have your foot lightly touching the brake pedal to show your lights as a warning to approaching cars, until you’re sure they’ve definitely seen you.

And definitely avoid indicating late and jamming the brakes on hard to make a turn you’ve nearly gone past. Unless the driver behind you is very alert, that can be a clear recipe for disaster.

Chief examiner at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, Peter Rodger, commented: “The rise in whiplash compensation claims is driving up car insurance premiums. Whiplash is most commonly caused by a rear end shunt – you can reduce the risk of being in one simply by taking these steps.”

A 100 year old insurance law has been reformed under a procedure for Law Commission Bills which is expected to bring greater support and protection to people who accidentally not disclosed information to insurance companies.

In May this year the reform was passed with no objections from the House of Lords after the old law, previously known as the Marine Insurance Act (1906) was challenged as unfair.

Before the reform it was entirely the responsibility of the consumer to provide all information possible in order to make an insurance claim if and when the time came. Many people were being denied their claims from the insurance companies when a health problem did arise on the basis that the consumer had not previously indicated to other health issues, which would be entirely unrelated to the actual case in hand.

For example, a consumer whose been diagnosed with  a tumour may have been denied the right to make a claim on their health insurance simply because they had not told the insurance company of a previous chest problem or injury.

Now the new reform lays this responsibility with the insurance companies who are now required to ask their customers all significant and relevant questions as part of the process in someone signing up for an insurance policy.

The cuts to housing benefit support under a new Welfare Reform Bill set to become law under the coalition government has been heavily criticised by the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA).

After sourcing independent research on the impact in which the Welfare Reform Bill could have on the lives of tenants across Scotland, the research has highlighted that one in five Scottish tenants are going to experience  a drop in their incomes as a result of the housing benefits cuts.

The organisation and research has found that families in particular are more likely to fall victims of these cuts and their overall standard of living is likely to be punished for those who live in houses which officials deem too big.

The changes will introduce what is referred to as ‘Universal Credit’. This new system will no longer be paid directly to landlords to pay a tenants rent, but directly to the tenant instead; it will be paid on a monthly basis and will be in arrears as opposed to in advance.

Coupled with the significant shortage in affordable housing, and people simply unable to afford liveable accommodation these welfare reforms are likely to cause further pressure for all parties, individuals, organisations, associations and local authorities involved with the impact this could have on people’s lives.

Government funding cuts to the legal aid system is likely to cause the number of people representing themselves in courts to rise.

For those who cannot afford legal help with cases in civil courts and who fall outside the brackets for legal aid assistance are going to be forced to represent themselves, which is going to leave the judicial system dealing with a substantial number of people who have been left feeling more vulnerable at a time which is stressful enough for any individual. In many cases, individuals seeking help will be left with advice phone lines for support.

The legal aid budget is going to be cut by £350 million from the government; a bill outlining these changes is set to be published in late June 2011. As a result of this, those who lose their right to access for legal aid will amount to approximately half a million people a year.

The areas in which legal support will be withdrawn as a result of the cuts are family disputes, education, negligence and debt. However this won’t affect family situations in which domestic violence arises.

Combined with the stress this will undoubtedly cause for many individuals at very difficult personal times in someone’s life, this is likely to create further pressure for the legal system overall and will also diminish the chance of justice being achieved in many cases.

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