The force of a vehicle hitting another vehicle from behind can cause the head (which is relatively heavy) to whip forward and backward on the neck (which is relatively fragile). That places undue pressure on the spinal column that runs up through the neck. This could lead to a serious spinal injury.
So, for this and all the other injuries that could occur, it’s wise to learn what you can do to reduce the chance you are involved in a rear-end collision.
Leave a safe following distance from the vehicle in front of you
Road safety experts recommend you leave a minimum following distance of three seconds. You should make it much more if there is anything likely to delay how long it takes from the driver in front braking to you doing so.
The same applies if thick fog means you might not notice their brake lights go on. You should also increase your following distance if anything hinders your ability to stop quickly – such as a wet, greasy or loose road surface.
What if someone is following you too closely?
If another driver is at risk of rear-ending you, try and get away from them safely. If you are traveling under the speed limit, you could speed up if safe to do so. Otherwise, you could pull over to let them get past at an appropriate point. Whatever you do, do not tell them to get off your tail by hooting your horn, gesturing or flashing your brake lights as that might annoy them and lead to a nasty situation.
If someone rear-ends you, you should probably be able to claim compensation but you may want legal help to do so.