Car Crashes: More Dangerous For Women
Consumer Reports is reporting that today’s automobiles are less safe for women than for their male counterparts. A study out of the University of Virginia shows that seat-belted women are 73% more likely to be seriously injured in a car crash than men. This is mostly because test dummies are mostly made to resemble the average adult male. The terrible truth about car crashes is that today’s vehicles are less safe for women, which means that car crashes are more dangerous for women.
Even though most injuries or deaths in car accidents involve males, women are actually at greater risk of injury or death when a crash happens. The high injury and death rates for males occurs because men typically drive more than women and engage in risky driving behaviors more than women. But, a study out of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration shows that a female driver or front seat passenger is 17% more likely to be killed car wreck. These statistics clearly show that, unfortunately, car crashes are more dangerous for women.
How Cars Hurt Women
Legs — 79.7% higher risk of injury to women than men
Arms — 58.2% higher risk of injury to women
Neck — 44.7% higher risk of injury to women
Abdomen — 38.5% higher risk of injury to women
Chest — 26.4% higher risk of injury to women
The Terrible Truth About Auto Makers
The terrible truth is that automobile designers and manufacturers have known for decades that men’s and women’s bodies react differently in car crashes. Yet, most of today’s auto safety policy and research is designed to address the body of the average adult male.
Today’s female is on average 5.4 inches shorter and 27 pounds lighter than the average man. Because of this, women often sit closer to the steering wheel or wear their seat belts differently than men.
Additionally, research has shown that men’s necks are designed to better withstand impacts and forces that bend them. As a result, women are 3 times more likely to suffer whiplash than are men. Even though researchers know this information, seats that are designed to prevent whiplash are less likely to help female drivers and passengers than men.
Toyota and Volvo are currently using a seat and head restraint system to absorb more energy from a crash. This new design has been shown to protect females (and males as well) from devastating neck injuries in a rear-end crash. Even though this new design is available and in use by several manufacturers, most of the auto manufacturers use a design which only involves reducing the movement of the head in a crash. This design is very effective for men, but has been shown to have no benefit for women. Because cars are not built for female body types, car crashes are more dangerous for women.
Read more on rear-end collisions in our article, “How To Evaluate a Rear-End Collision“
Talk with a Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one suffered significant injuries at the hands of a negligent driver, the Ritchie Law Firm is here to help. The experienced, certified attorneys at the Ritchie Law Firm have helped thousands of injured victims and their families recover the compensation they deserve after an accident. Contact us by phone at 800-277-6124 or by using our online contact form.
Ritchie Law Firm is a personal injury law firm devoted to helping individuals who have suffered serious and catastrophic injuries or lost a loved one as a result of someone else’s negligence. Ritchie Law Firm serves all of Virginia, while helping clients in cities and surrounding areas of Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, Staunton, and Winchester also serves clients in West Virginia, including Martinsburg, WV.
