Saab's crash-hot head restraint system

A study in the United States has found the Saab Active Head Restraint reduces neck injuries in rear-end collisions.

The safety system, standard on all Saabs, provided a 43 per cent reduction in neck injury claims, including a 55 per cent reduction in claim rates for women and a 31 per cent reduction for men, according to new research.

The study, by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, measured the effectiveness of the system by comparing the rates of insurance claims for driver neck injuries in rear-end crashes before and after it was introduced in 1997.

The results come as the Swedish carmaker prepares to launch its new 9-3 range in New Zealand on December 3.

"The study reaffirms the findings of our own research," says Stefan Olsen, a safety development engineer with Saab.

"It's more evidence that our real-life safety philosophy is sound. Good laboratory tests are helpful, but what is most important is that our safety systems perform well in real-life crashes."

The restraint is designed to limit the head movement of the occupant during an impact, reducing whiplash.

The system is lever-operated - an upper padded support is connected to a pressure plate in the backrest of the seat.

In some rear collisions, the occupant's body will be forced by the crash into the backrest, triggering the pressure plate which moves the head restraint up and forward to catch the occupant's head before the whiplash movement can start.

A benefit of the mechanical system is that in most crashes it needs no repairs before being reset.

Saab's new 9-3 features a second-generation restraint for faster activation in rear impacts at lower speeds.