Why Women Have a Higher Risk of Car Accident Injuries?
Did you know women are more likely than men to suffer severe injuries in car crashes? But before you jump to any conclusions about why, let us explain.
According to new crash research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), certain vehicles and accidents create added injury risk for women. Interestingly, men are in more fatal crashes overall, but women suffer more severe bodily injuries.
Fewer Crashes But More Injuries? Why?
That’s right – women are in fewer crashes than men, but are more likely to be seriously injured. The research shows women tend to have moderate to severe injuries like crushing leg injuries, broken bones, collapsed lungs, concussions, and brain injuries.
You might think this is due to vehicle designs that favor men, but that’s simply not true – at least, not anymore. The IIHS found that auto manufacturers have made safety improvements that benefit men and women equally and negate the impact of car design.
Other factors are what’s contributing to more severe injuries for women. Vehicle size and crash types are the two big ones. Here’s why.
Women tend to drive smaller, more lightweight vehicles than men. Generally speaking, women may feel that a smaller car suits their size better and has better sightlines for safer driving.
However, smaller cars are more likely to crumple and allow severe injuries during crashes with bigger vehicles. A small-size passenger car is vulnerable to the crushing forces of an SUV, delivery truck, or another large vehicle.
Vehicle Size + Crash Type = Risk of Injury
In addition to the vehicle size, the type of crash is also a factor. Consider a crash between a compact car and a huge semi-truck traveling at fast speeds on a California interstate highway.
We’ve already learned that women are more likely to drive small cars. They’re also far less likely than men to be professionally employed as commercial truck drivers. Only 6% of the nation’s truck drivers are women. So the odds are that this crash could involve a woman driving the compact car and a man driving the semi-truck.
Now consider another factor. Research shows that in crashes, the drivers of large vehicles are more likely to injure others than themselves. As the IIHS puts it, “Most deaths in large truck crashes are passenger vehicle occupants. The main problem is the vulnerability of people traveling in smaller vehicles.”
So as you can see, in our example of a compact car and a semi-truck colliding on the highway, the woman in the compact car is more likely to be injured. She could have severe, life-changing injuries that require surgery, rehabilitation, and months of recovery.
The man in the semi-truck could walk away injury-free. It’s not sexism – it’s just physics! But it helps explain why women are more likely to have severe injuries in these common crashes.
If You Have Car Accident Injuries, Take Action
Women aren’t just more likely to be injured in semi-truck accidents. They’re more likely to be injured in all accidents.
The IIHS researchers analyzed police-reported tow-away front and side crashes between 1998 and 2015. They found that compared to men, women were three times as likely to have a moderate injury like a concussion or a broken bone and twice as likely to have a severe injury like a collapsed lung or a traumatic brain injury.
So if you’re ever the unfortunate victim of an injury like this, you can take action and seek payment for your losses. Reach out to us at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. Here in California, injured victims can recover compensation for medical bills, car damages, lost wages, and more.
We Handle Your Personal Injury Claim So You Can Focus on Your Life
After an injury, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many areas of the law, including auto accidents. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering while we handle the legal details.
We truly care about the people of California. Contact us today for a free online case evaluation.
