Injuries from rear-end accidents can range from minor to severe. High impact crashes often result in catastrophic bodily damage. Accident victims may suffer life-altering injuries and long-term medical conditions.
Low-impact rear-end accidents also cause severe damage. The National Library of Medicine conducted a study to prove that speed is not a major factor in rear-end collisions. The rate of change, however, will significantly affect damage to soft tissues and joints.
The study concluded that:
Motor vehicles may not show damage from a collision until they are traveling at 8.7m
Soft tissue damage, however, can happen at only 2.5 miles per hour
When the occupant of a vehicle is stopped and abruptly changes speed, the rate of change can cause injuries to the joints and other soft tissue