The following shocking figures are the result of numerous studies: In a frontal collision, women are 73 percent more likely than men to have catastrophic injuries, nearly twice as likely to get trapped, and 17 percent more likely to pass away.
So what’s the problem? There is a variety of contributing causes, but the main one is that car designers neglected to take into account the physical disparities between men and women. Women are more likely to have whiplash injuries than men, according to one Swedish study, because car seats don’t accommodate their lighter frames.
Women are often lighter than men, which causes them to accelerate and move forward more swiftly. According to Anna Carlsson from the Chalmers University of Technology, a woman is also violently propelled forward into the seatbelt.
“The seats ought to be more supple and less rigid. The back of the seat works as a trampoline and propels us forward in the event of a rear-end collision. I would like to see seat backs that are a little softer and better cushioned.
Women typically sit closer to the pedals than men do, Caroline Criado Perez, author of Invisible Women: Exposing the gender bias women experience every day, noted in 2019. This is because women are typically shorter than males and must still reach the pedals to drive the vehicle. Instead of driving in the position recommended by the manufacturer, this is considered to be “out of position.” Although it is necessary to sit in this position in order to drive, doing so increases the danger of injury for the driver.
How cars are tested is one of the issues. Human cadavers were utilized in crash tests prior to the invention of test dummies. A demographic issue also existed because the majority of the given cadavers were older guys, which made it difficult to distinguish between prior injuries and those received during the examinations.
This would have been the perfect moment to change that, and maybe even throw in a few more body types for good measure, but sadly, humanity chose to test automobiles almost exclusively on crash testing based on males and then extrapolate for everyone from there. How cars are tested is one of the issues. Human cadavers were utilized in crash tests prior to the invention of test dummies. A demographic issue also existed because the majority of the given cadavers were older guys, which made it difficult to distinguish between prior injuries and those received during the examinations.
This would have been the perfect moment to change that, and maybe even throw in a few more body types for good measure, but sadly, humanity chose to test automobiles almost exclusively on crash testing based on males and then extrapolate for everyone from there.
The imbalance is being repaired through efforts. Swedish researchers recently created a female crash test dummy. The research team intends to use the dummy to learn more about the various injuries, such as shattered pelvises, which disproportionately affect women who are involved in car accidents.
According to Christopher O’Connor, CEO of the leading maker of crash test dummies, “you can’t have the same device to test a man and a woman.” “Until sensors are placed there to measure those injuries, we won’t be able to understand the injuries we are witnessing today.”
We can develop safer automobiles with safer airbags, safer seatbelts, and safer occupant compartments that accommodate a range of sizes by measuring those injuries.
Men and women continue to experience an alarming difference in injuries and fatalities that we are only now beginning to comprehend.
