Are Car Accidents More Dangerous for Women?

February 1, 2023

The Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute says the nation has about 1.4 million more female drivers than male drivers. Typically, women and men have different body structures, including muscle mass and average height and weight. Basic differences between male and female bodies raise the concern of whether or not car accidents are more dangerous for women. Data shows that accidents are more dangerous for women.

Verity Now recently studied the data of 70,000 accidents across the United States and concluded that women were 17 percent more likely than men to die in a car accident. Women were 73 percent more likely to be injured in an accident.

Women were also prone to suffering certain types of injuries. When compared to men, women were twice as likely to suffer a severe injury, such as a collapsed lung or traumatic brain injury and three times more likely to break a bone in an accident.

Vehicle Choices

Women are less likely than men to drive pickup trucks, full-size SUVs, or other larger vehicles. Instead, many women choose to drive smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicles that often wind up on the receiving end of collision damage.

Taller and heavier vehicles, like pickups and SUVs, typically cause more damage when colliding with a smaller and more fuel-efficient vehicle. The size disparity in vehicles makes women drivers and passengers more vulnerable.

Types of Accidents

Women drivers tend to be involved in more side-impact collisions and rear-end accidents than men. Both types of collisions can be dangerous for the occupant who is driving the smaller and more compact vehicle.

A side-impact collision has less protection than when hit from the front or rear and can produce more head injuries and whiplash. A rear-end collision often transfers the energy to the body and could cause whiplash or a more serious neck or head injury. Women on average are shorter than men, so airbags are not always as effective at preventing injuries.

Contact a West Chester Car Accident Lawyer at the Law Office of Deborah M. Truscello Today

Regardless of your gender, an experienced West Chester car accident lawyer at the Law Office of Deborah M. Truscello can help you explore your legal options if you have been hurt in a crash. Call us at 610-892-4940 or complete our online form to schedule a free consultation. Located in Media, Pennsylvania, we represent clients in Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Lancaster, Montgomery County, Norristown, Philadelphia, Reading, and West Chester.