Kentucky drivers should know that front-end collisions are the most typical kind of car crash. After analyzing nearly 23,000 such collisions that occurred from 1998 to 2015, researchers came to several intriguing conclusions, which were published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention. It turns out that women are 73% more likely than men to be injured in these crashes even when they are wearing a three-point seatbelt.
Female car occupants are especially prone to injuries involving the spine, abdomen and legs. Ailments to the spine and lower extremities are precisely what newer model vehicles can reduce the risk for. However, researchers found that the aforementioned trend among women applies both to vehicles made in the most recent decade (2009 to 2019) and older vehicles.
Though researchers did not explain why this trend exists in the first place, there is one clear factor — the lack of safety data pertaining to women. Automotive crash tests tend to use dummies modeled on men. Female crash dummies are essentially smaller versions of the male models.
Yet there are anatomical and physiological differences in women that must be taken into consideration. Volvo is one automaker, though, that will begin to collect and share safety data specific to women.
When there is a motor vehicle accident, the first question will likely be who is at fault. In this state, anyone injured in an accident can file a personal injury claim regardless of their degree of fault. However, whatever amount they receive in damages will be conditioned by the degree of fault. A crash victim who feels that they have a strong case may want to see a lawyer. Legal counsel could hire investigators, medical professionals and other third parties to bolster the case.