According to a October article published in the American Journal of Public Health, Vulnerability of Female Drivers Involved in Motor Vehicle Crashes: An Analysis of US Population at Risk, even when both use seat-belts, women are much more likely to sustain a severe injury in vehicles crashes than men. The study reviewed “national crash data between 1998 and 2008 to determine the role of the driver’s gender as a predictor of injury outcome when involved in a crash.” The odds were approximately 47% higher for a female wearing a seat-belt to sustain a severe injury than those for a seat-belted male. One factor the authors examined during the study was whether advances in occupant safety technology provide equal injury protection for male and female drivers involved in a serious or fatal crash. While there have been many advances in driver safety in the 10 years studied, most of the designs have been tailored to the male frame. Designing safety factors in this way decreases the safety to women who typically are shorter than males and who have different neck sizes. As to this factor, the article concluded that “health policies and vehicle regulations must focus on effective safety designs specifically tailored toward the female population for equity in injury reduction.”
Read the entire article: Vulnerability of Female Drivers Involved in Motor Vehicle Crashes: An Analysis of US Population at Risk
Other articles and information posted by Lapin Law Offices regarding motor vehicles and accidents:
Distracted Driving, Communication Devices and Nebraska: A Summary of the Law
Alarming Statistics Regarding Distracted Driving
Drivers Understand But Often Ignore Risks of Texting or Talking on Cell Phone
Texting Doubles a Driver’s Reaction Time According To New Study