During the winter months, insurers have come to expect the number of personal injury claims to increase.
Visibility can be reduced and snow and ice can cause braking problems.
However, it may be possible to reduce the number of whiplash claims by taking the simple step of replacing your tyres at the onset of winter.
In recent years, the cold months seem to have become noticeably colder.
While some scientists claim this to be evidence of global warming, others refute it as a natural part of the cycle of the seasons.
Whatever the reasons, the results are not up for debate.
According to specialist solicitors, 2010 has seen a marked increase in the number of personal injury claims made against councils - including whiplash claims.
It seems that the majority of the claims have been made from people who have been injured or suffered damage to their car as a result of the potholes caused by sudden freezes.
However, the main source of whiplash claims has been the one that has caused most consternation amongst the British public.
During the winter of 2009/2010, the news was full of headlines about local councils not having enough salt and grit to make roads safe to drive on.
In response to the severe weather, officials decided that the best course if action was to ensure that the main roads were made safe, ignoring the condition of many smaller ones.
The result was not only an increase in the number of personal injuries caused to pedestrians unable to maintain their balance on the icy pavements, but also a rise in the number of whiplash injuries caused by cars colliding.
Whiplash is an injury in which the soft tissue surrounding the spine and neck is stretched suddenly and in opposite directions, usually as the result of an impact from the rear.
Initial symptoms may only manifest themselves as a sore neck and shoulders but, given time, more debilitating symptoms may appear such as dizziness, blurred vision and pain in the extremities.
Many EU countries have chosen to combat the potential hazards thrown up by winter by passing legislation that says that vehicles must be fitted with winter tyres during certain months.
Their argument is that all-season tyres are a compromise designed to provide an acceptable level of performance in a variety of conditions.
However, that compromise prevents the tyres from mastering any one particular condition.
Winter tyres, by comparison, are engineered to provide optimum performance through their tread designs and the compounds they are made from.
While winter tyres are not mandatory in the UK, drivers can offer themselves a degree of protection by changing their tyres for winter.
According to the AA, the deeper your tread, the safer you are likely to be.
The AA recommends a winter depth of three millimetres or more.
They also suggest that motorists change their tyres once the tread depth reaches two millimetres as, beyond that point, performance drops off markedly.
The introduction of governmental advice could see insurers offering lower premiums to those who choose winter tyres.
According to Tyres & Accessories, 48% of all automobile accident claims are made during the autumn and winter months.
So encouraging motorists to switch to winter tyres could see a substantial drop in the number of claims the following spring, both for damage to vehicles and to the 1200 whiplash claims made every day in the UK.