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Women 73% likelier than men to be injured in front-end crash

On Behalf of | Jul 15, 2019 | Car Accidents

Front-end collisions are the most common type of car crash in New Jersey and across the U.S., and the risk of being injured in one of these is 73% higher for women than for men. Not only that, but women run double the risk for incurring a lower-body injury to the abdomen, legs and spine. These are the conclusions of a study published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention.

Researchers looked at 22,854 front-end crashes reported between 1998 and 2015 and involving 31,254 vehicle occupants, 50.6% of whom were women. They excluded from their study any women who were more than three months pregnant or who did not wear a three-point seatbelt. They also divided the vehicles between those built before 2009 and those built during or after 2009.

There were 55% fewer injuries in the newer models, especially fewer injuries to the skull, neck, abdomen and lower extremities. Both categories saw approximately the same percentage of injuries to the arms and hands.

While the study did not answer why women are more susceptible, there is one significant factor that other research reveals. For one thing, automotive safety experts use crash dummies modeled on men. Female crash dummies are usually only smaller versions of these and so do not reflect women’s anatomical and physiological differences.

Those who suffer severe injuries in a car accident may be able to file a third-party insurance claim after filing first with their own insurance company. In New Jersey, plaintiffs may be able to recover damages if they are 50% or less at fault. To ensure the maximum amount of compensation possible, victims may want to retain legal counsel. A lawyer might handle all negotiations without being discouraged by the other side’s aggressive tactics. If negotiations fail, though, the lawyer may proceed to litigation.

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