Are Women More Likely To Get Injured In a Car Accident?
Mesa Injury Attorneys Discuss If Women Are More Likely To Get Severly Injured In a Car Crash
Our Mesa Injury Attorneys take a look at auto accidents in Mesa, Arizona. We also argue the fact that women are more likely to get seriously injured in an accident than men. Read on to find out more from your injury lawyers in Mesa, Arizona.
Automotive technology has advanced rapidly in terms of safety technology in recent years. Features like back up cameras and lane assist technology are quickly becoming standard on new vehicles. However, injuries resulting from car accidents can still be serious, and even deadly. There are several factors that can influence whether a car accident is fatal- speed, use of a safety belt, intoxication, and more. One factor that you may have not thought of is the driver’s sex. Do men and women experience a difference in severity of injuries after a car accident? Read on to find out.
Which Gender Is More Likely To Die In Car Accidents?
Overall, more men are injured or killed in car crashes than women. However, this is due to factors like the percentage of drivers on the road being men, men speeding and driving intoxicated at higher rates, etc. However, when involved in crashes of the same severity, women tend to experience serious injuries and death at a higher rate than men.
The difference in car accident severity between men and women isn’t insignificant. Women are between 37-73% more likely to experience a serious injury in the same accident as a man, and 20-28% more likely to die in an accident. Women are three times more likely to experience a serious injury after a front impact collision. Additionally, women are also more likely to experience injuries in the legs and lower half of the body after a collision. Also, women are also more likely to hurt their arms and necks in traffic accidents. That doesn’t mean men are safer from all types of injuries in a traffic accident. Men are twice as likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury or a lung injury from an accident.
Why Do Men & Women’s Chances Of Being In a Serious Auto Accident Vary?
These statistics are calculated, taking factors like speed out of the equation as much as possible. So what explains the difference in injury rates between the sexes? One factor to be taken into consideration is the type of cars women more typically drive. Women, on average, tend to drive smaller and lighter vehicles than men. Larger vehicles, like SUVs and trucks, tend to provide more protection in an accident.
This factor actually affects women twofold. Not only are men more likely to drive larger vehicles, but they are more likely to be the driver who causes the accident in several types of collisions. In front of rear, side impact, and T-bone collisions, men were found to be the at fault driver more often than women. In these types of accidents, the driver who causes the accident is less likely to be injured than the impacted vehicle’s driver. This is especially so when the man is driving a far heavier vehicle than the woman. These types of accidents also cause the injuries women are more likely to receive in a collision.
Does The Type Of Vehicle Matter In a Car Crash?
In short, yes. Women tend to drive smaller, lighter vehicles than men. These vehicles are more susceptible to serious damage, especially when involved in a collision with a larger and heavier vehicle. Men tend to cause these accidents, and tend to drive larger and heavier cars than women. So the type of vehicle factors into the difference in injuries between men and women, but there are several other factors that cause this discrepancy. These go far beyond the types of vehicles that women tend to drive.
Gender Inequality In Safety Test Crashes: Lack Of Female Crash Test Dummies
Automotive safety has improved for both genders over time, but the discrepancy between serious injury rates shows something is wrong with automotive safety standards. Most crash safety tests are conducted with dummies meant to represent the 50th percentile male. That is 171 pounds and 5 feet, 9 inches tall. As most women are shorter than 5 feet 9 inches, this could explain some difference in injury severity. Obviously, steps can be taken to make vehicles, and driving in general, safer for women. Making safety standards stricter makes the roads safer for everyone.
Out of the five tests a car must pass before it goes to market, only one of those must include a female crash test dummy. A simple way to make vehicles safer for women would be to require more, if not all, of these tests to include a female crash test dummy. Vehicles that haven’t been tested with female crash test dummies should be labeled as such on the market. Female crash test dummies are only 5 feet tall. As most women are somewhere between 5 feet and 5 feet 9 inches tall, crash test dummies more representative of the average woman could be used to improve safety.
Because many of the serious accidents that prove fatal to women are caused by men in trucks and other large vehicles, these vehicles should be equipped with standard safety equipment. Automatic emergency braking, or AEB, can reduce front to rear end collisions. Forward collision warning, or FCW, serves the same purpose. Lane departure warning, or LDW, can reduce side impact collisions. Overall, the Highway Loss Data Institute reports that these features reduce bodily injury claims through automotive policies by 16%.
Another safety issue unique to women on the road is seatbelts during pregnancy. It is recommended that women continue to use a seat belt throughout their entire pregnancies. Unfortunately, more than 60% of women far into their pregnancies can’t fit into standard three point seat belts. During this vulnerable stage, pregnant women need a safe and comfortable way to stay restrained while in a vehicle.
After An Accident, Call Arizona’s Trusted Personal Injury Lawyers For Your Free Case Evaluation
Regardless of your gender, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages after an accident. Expenses like medical costs, time missed from work, and your pain and suffering are all compensable in a personal injury claim. Don’t assume that cost will prevent you from affording a quality attorney to represent you in your claim.
Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingent basis, meaning they will take a set percentage out of your settlement or award- but get paid nothing if you lose. While many of our competitors charge up to 33% or more, at Mesa Injury Lawyers, we offer a guaranteed contingency fee of 25%. We strive to offer a fair price because these funds could be vital to you and your family’s financial future. That also means we have to work harder, and get you a higher settlement, to get paid like our competitors.
After an accident, the last thing you probably want to do is spend hours dealing with insurance adjusters, calculating your damages, and so on. Every step of the personal injury claim process is facilitated by retaining an attorney. All the hassle- including communicating with the insurance companies- will be taken care of by your attorney. It can also yield you a higher settlement, even after taking out the contingency fee. Why would you want to earn the same settlement or lower by doing all the work yourself? Leave it to the experts- call or use our online form to schedule your free consultation with one of our experienced Mesa accident attorneys today.
Contact your Mesa Injury Lawyer at 602-600-6001 for a free consultation. Our Mesa Injury Attorneys never take more of a fee than you receive, plus, our fees are only 25% when other firms charge 33-40%. Lower attorney fees mean more money in your pocket. Also, we don’t get paid unless we win. Contact us today.
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Mesa, AZ 85202
Tel: 602-600-6001
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Website: injurylawyersmesa.com
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