Are Women More Likely To Die In A Car Crash?

A study of 70,000 traffic accidents found that women are 73% more likely than men to get hurt in a car crash and 17% more likely to die.

The study was based on hospital admissions coded as “vehicle incident/collision” during a recent eight-year period collected by the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN), a UK-based trauma registry covering England and Wales. It determined that women are trapped in vehicles after accidents more often than men are, which delays medical assistance. Women are also more likely to drive smaller cars, which pose a greater likelihood of severe injury.

The South Carolina car accident lawyers of Joye Law Firm are well-versed in helping accident victims and their families deal with insurance companies and the legal system after collisions that cause serious injury. If another driver’s reckless behavior caused the car accident that injured you, find out how our attorneys can help you seek full compensation. Call Joye Law now at 888-324-3100 or fill out our online contact form for a free legal consultation.

What Is the Reason Behind Women’s Greater Risk of Death in Car Accidents?

One reason the British researchers cited for the difference in rates of automotive fatalities between men and women is that safety features incorporated in modern cars are less likely to be effective for women. The researchers noted that crash test dummies are typically designed based on a male physique. Current crash testing typically uses smaller male mannequins to represent female vehicle occupants.

“This systemic bias, with cars developed, tested and safety-rated using primarily an anatomically correct, weighted and biomechanically-matched male mannequin has led to the development of safety systems [that] are likely to be more effective for men than women,” the study authors wrote. “For example, whiplash protection systems are significantly more effective at preventing injury in men than women.”

Recent studies in the U.S. also have found that women are more likely to be injured in crashes than men. A study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), as reported by Consumer Reports, found that the disparity in vehicle size between men and women adds to the higher female fatality rate. Men tend to drive larger, heavier vehicles which offer more protection in a crash.

“For example, although men and women had about an equal proportion of crashes in minivans and SUVs, more than 20% of crashes involving men took place in pickups, compared with less than 5% of women,” Consumer Reports said. “Within the vehicle classes, the IIHS also reports that men tended to crash in heavier vehicles, which can offer more protection in a crash.

“‘The numbers indicate that women more often drive smaller, lighter cars and that they’re more likely than men to be driving the struck vehicle in side-impact and front-into-rear crashes,” Jessica Jermakian, IIHS’ vice president of vehicle research, said in a statement. The driver of the striking vehicle is at lower risk of injury than the driver of the vehicle that is struck, according to the IIHS.

First-ever female Crash Test Dummy

Astrid Linder, a Swedish engineer and research director of traffic safety at the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute, leads a team that is developing a female crash test dummy. She told CNN that the prototype is meant to demonstrate that the data is available to make a model depicting an average female just as crash test dummies have for years depicted the average male.

“Different types of car accident injuries are more common for females than males,” Linder explained. “Females have more injuries to the spine and the hips, which makes perfect sense because females have broader hips, wider pelvises, and they sit closer to … the steering wheel and to the pedals.”

Testing must change, Linder said. In the U.S., the Hybrid-III 5F female dummy is approved for crash tests, but it reflects only the 5th percentile of American women. It’s lighter than an average 12-year-old girl, she said and is only used in passenger seats for crash tests. In the European Union, regulations call for the use of a model depicting an average male.

Contact Our South Carolina Car Accident Attorneys

If you have been injured or your loved one has been injured in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, our South Carolina car accident lawyers can help you demand full compensation for your medical bills and other losses. There is no charge to have an attorney review the facts of your accident and discuss your legal options. We want to help you. Joye Law Firm has offices in Charleston, Columbia, Clinton, Summerville, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We represent injured people across the state.

Contact Joye Law Firm today. Call us at 888-324-3100 or use this online contact form to set up your free case review.