For the majority of Americans, owning and operating a car is a necessity. While many of us are staying home more as a result of the pandemic, most people still need access to a vehicle for a multitude of purposes.
But because driving is often seen as essential, we tend to overlook its dangers. The reality is that millions of crashes occur on U.S. roads every year — many of them fatal, which means too many Americans have to take advantage of cremation options when a loved one dies in a collision or they may have to search for legal help from a car accident attorney or a personal injury attorney depending on the outcome of the crash. For those who survive, however, injuries can be severe. And although individuals pursuing personal injury claims related to auto accidents might have three years to file a lawsuit with the help of a personal injury lawyer or an auto accident attorney, that doesn’t take away the physical and emotional pain experienced by car accident victims.
And, as it turns out, it’s more likely for drivers with more extensive car crash injuries to be women. According to a new study by Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, women are at a higher risk of becoming severely injured or even killed in car crashes than men are in similar collisions.
This discrepancy isn’t due to a lack of driving skill, poor decision-making, or even physical differences between men and women. It actually comes down to the type of vehicle and the type of crash.
Newer vehicles are reportedly safer than ever, which could make some wonder why the choice of vehicle could play such a crucial role here. While technologies like torque wrenches (which have been used to apply nuts and bolts since 1918) and other types of equipment are used to make vehicles safe, it’s worth noting that men are more likely to drive larger vehicles than women. A pick-up truck might protect its driver better than a small sedan would — and because pick-up drivers are more likely to be men, they’re also less likely to suffer more serious injuries in the event of a crash. Consumer advocacy groups also suspect that when car safety features are tested, the lack of crash test dummies that are designed with the average woman in mind could also mean that these features are literally created to protect only men.
The study also highlighted the types of crashes that men and women were likely to be involved in. Men are generally more likely to be in the vehicle that’s striking another, rather than in the vehicle being struck, than women are. Subsequently, women tend to have a greater likelihood of serious injury, since the car that experiences the impact tends to incur more damage. Even after adjusting for speed and other factors, women are 37% to 73% more likely to be injured in a crash.
Unfortunately, it’s worth noting that the gender disparity in vehicle selection, safety features, and even driver behavior puts women at a higher risk of harm. Despite the findings of recent studies that implicate women are safer drivers, it’s clear that systemic problems still pose a major risk for women behind the wheel.
