Women on the road in Connecticut are more likely to be injured or killed than men, a dangerous trend that sticks when zooming out to a national audience.
Across the country, female occupants are up to 28% more likely to suffer a fatal injury and possibly 73% more likely to sustain a serious injury. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) sought to find out why.
Higher risks
Initial theories wondered if safety improvements cater more to a male-framed crash test dummy, though the numbers show that your risks could be situational as well as biological.
Vehicle choice
Crashes involved men and women at about the same rate for minivans and SUVs. The difference begins when comparing cars and trucks. In the cases studied, women were driving cars 70% of the time, and men only came to 60%. But the real difference sat with the 20% of the men driving heavier trucks that may keep the driver safer, while women ranked at less than 5%.
Point of impact
Side impacts are the other big matter to affect women. Regardless of sex, you’re more likely to get hurt when a driver hits the side of your car than the front. But more often than not, it’s a male driving the striking car, and the car a female is driving is more likely the one hit.
Physical differences
This isn’t to say that women aren’t more likely to experience an injury with the variables removed. Some evidence of this emerged after the IIHS compared similar accidents. Women are over two-and-a-half times more likely to suffer moderate leg injuries, which stronger compartments and airbags could counter.
While these numbers begin to shine a light on accident rates, it doesn’t change the car you bought, its design or the driving habits of others. When you’re suffering after a car accident that was someone else’s fault, it may be time to find help with your recovery.
