This is the most informative article that I could find on the proper use of your car's head restraints.  This can  protect your neck from the potentially serious whiplash phenomenon

"If you've ever been involved in an automobile accident, you more than likely know the feeling of waking up the next day with a nagging soreness in your neck.

That pain is known as whiplash and is a common injury following an accident, especially a rear-end collision.

While it may be common, whiplash is an injury that can be far less severe (and sometimes prevented entirely) depending on the type of headrest in your vehicle and whether it is properly adjusted. Indeed, the term headrest is really quite misleading. Headrests are not designed for resting your head; its true purpose is to protect your head from moving too far backward in a rear-end collision. In other words, it's there to reduce whiplash. In fact, safety experts and automakers instead refer to them as head restraints.  ..........

Protecting yourself

The following tips can help you prevent whiplash during a collision:

• Recline your seatback a little less. A seatback that is more upright means the upper part of the seat and head restraint is more likely to be closer to your head, reducing your chance of injury.

• Adjust your head restraint. About 80 percent of all passenger vehicles in the United States have adjustable head restraints, yet studies indicate less than 10 percent of occupants adjust them properly. To adjust your head restraint, raise it up so it is at least to the top of your ears. If your head restraint can be tipped forward, move it closer to the back of your head. Both drivers and passengers should make these adjustments.

• Check the head restraint ratings when vehicle shopping. When it comes time to buy a new vehicle, assess the detailed IIHS head restraint ratings at www.iihs.org under the Vehicle Ratings tab. Use these ratings when comparison shopping, just as you would use any other crash test information."

To see the whole article go to:  http://www.jdpower.com/autos/articles/preventing-whiplash

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