There's a few important things at risk, (like your brain stem, no big deal.)
The research on the physics of how whiplash happens is slightly terrifying. With speeds as low as 8mph the sudden force of being hit may only be 2G, but with appropriate calculations, your neck ultimately absorbs a whip-like force of 5G for .25 of a second. (1) This is called 'magnification of acceleration' and unfortunately most people in a low speed accident will write-off any symptoms as non-related simply because they associate injury with higher speeds.
Our clinic notices how many cases in which we treat neck pain, and more often than we'd like to admit, there's a low speed rear-ending accident in that patient's past that was never assessed. We hate to see patients spend money out of their own pocket to treat these issues when it should have been covered by PIP under your car insurance. But the longer anyone waits to submit that claim, the higher the risk of it being rejected.
(1) Shapiro, A.; Teasell, R.; Steenhuis, R.: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Following Whiplash. In: Spine: State of the Art Reviews. Vol. 7, No. 3. September 1993. pp. 455-469
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