A new form of motor crash testing could lead to a reduction in whiplash claims.
The Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre, Thatcham, tested how different car seats react to rear end shunts using new technology.
The results showed that more than a third of cars tested had inadequate seating systems, which gave poor protection to the car's occupants.
Of the 114 models tested by Thatcham, 25 failed the exam because of poor geometry, the initial sifting test that demonstrates whether a seat is worthy of testing by the new system.
Just 18 models were rated as ‘good', 27 were rated as ‘acceptable', 27 as ‘marginal' and 42 as ‘poor'.
Some models that had previously been regarded as safe were given a poor rating under the new test system.
Around £1bn is added to insurance premiums every year to pay for whiplash claims.
Encouraging car manufacturers to install safe seating systems is expected to reduce the amount of claims made and could impact positively on car insurance premiums.
