Women More Likely to be Seriously Injured in Car Accidents, Study Suggests

 Posted on May 27, 2013 in Personal Injury

Car accidents are more dangerous for women than for men, according to an article in the Huffington Post. A study shows that because vehicle safety equipment is usually made for men’s bodies and not for women, who generally have lighter and shorter bodies, women are at a greater risk of serious injury.

The results of the study suggest that the risk of a serious injury in a car accident is 47 percent more likely for women than for men. “To address the sex-specific disparity demonstrated in this study, health policies and vehicle regulations must focus on effective safety designs specifically tailored toward the female population for equity in injury reduction,” the University of Virginia researchers said.

It may be that the findings apply only to older car models, since researchers only studied car crashes between 1998 and 2008, and at least some of those vehicles were probably made before 1998. If the study had been limited to 2000 and later model year cars, the results would be more accurate. In addition, in a 2007 study by Carnegie Mellon University, researchers determined that men are more likely to get killed in a car accident.

There is also conflicting research on which sex is actually the better driver. While women are at a higher risk to be involved in accidents with T junctions, slip roads and crossroads, the 2007 study discovered, perhaps unsurprisingly, that elderly women drive safer than teen boys.

If you or someone close to you has been injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. A skilled lawyer can help you to obtain the compensation you deserve. Don’t go through it alone. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney in Illinois at once.