Whiplash is common after rear-end collisions on Britain´s roads. Whiplash occurs when the head and neck are jolted violently backwards then forwards, resulting in neck muscle damage, which can leave you in pain for weeks. Whiplash can also result in damage to the spinal cord, which is much more serious, and could leave you unable to work for months.

The top 10 ways to avoid a whiplash accident include:

1.Always be aware what the car in front of you is planning to do. Look ahead in the distance and give plenty of notice to the vehicle behind if you are slowing down or stopping. This will help the driver behind from panicking at the last minute and driving into the back of you.

2.Check your mirrors regularly when slowing down or stopping, and always check your rear-view mirror when slowing down or stopping. You can´t tell if the driver of the vehicle behind is distracted, so give him as much notice as possible when you plan to stop.

3.Stay as focused as possible on your driving, as although there may not have been any cars behind you when you first stopped, they could be approaching quickly once you reach a standstill. Leave an escape route if possible, so you can accelerate off and avoid a rear-end collision.

4.When you are slowing down, identify the escape route you have in mind – it could be a hard shoulder, a pavement or a curb which you can safely pull onto if the driver behind hits you.

5.Always approach a red light slowly, and slow down gradually, so the driver behind does the same. This way, if the light changes to green as you approach, you can just keep driving, without braking, saving on fuel and brake pads.

6.When you stop, leave a two or three vehicle length between you and the vehicle in front. This will leave you plenty of room to move if the car behind fails to stop.

7.If the vehicle behind fails to stop, a normal reaction is to slam on the brakes when you are hit, but this is the wrong thing to do. Be prepared to accelerate away quickly if the driver behind runs into your car.

8.Always check your rear brake lights. If a fuse blows, the driver behind will not see your car braking (particularly at night), and it is worth checking the bulbs regularly to avoid this happening.

9.While moving, leave plenty of space between you and the driver in front, as, if they brake hard, you will have to do the same, which could result in a rear-end shunt from the vehicle following you.

10.If the driver behind is right up your rear (so to speak) don´t brake hard to scare him off. This type of tactics are dangerous, and could result in a rear-end shunt or a serious accident. Slow down at the next safe place to stop, and let him pass. If the road is narrow, wait until you reach a service station and let him go by.