In 2024, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that women experience 80% more injuries to their collarbones, necks, legs and pelvises during car accidents than men. Although men are involved in crashes more often in a year, women are more likely to suffer severe injuries and fatalities. Per researchers at the University of Virginia, women also have a 73% higher likelihood of experiencing life-altering severe injuries than men in front-facing accidents.
These studies and others have proven that biological women typically deal with more extensive challenges in car accidents than biological men. Women often struggle severely with post-accident injuries and recovery, employment and financial losses, and legal issues.
Unique Physical Impact Points
Manufacturers continue to develop safety features based on tests conducted with crash dummies modeled after average male bodies from the 1970s. Men from that time experienced crash-related impacts in different physical spots than modern men and women from the 70s and today. Although smaller dummies are used to mimic females, crash tests often focus on male impact points and safety measures for female passengers instead of female drivers.
Biological women are usually anatomically shorter and smaller with less muscle mass and weight and reduced physical strength. Since female drivers must often pull their seats close to steering wheels and gas and brake pedals, women are more likely to become trapped at an accident scene and experience whiplash and spinal injuries. Women receive fewer interior supports because airbag, headrest, seat, and seat belt designs focus primarily on preventing injuries commonly experienced by men.
Insufficient Self-Awareness and Focus
Physical and emotional traumas usually cause biochemical changes in women that result in noticeable on-scene symptoms. Yet, high tolerance to pain or, conversely, sudden onset of severe pain sensitivity, can make a woman less likely to notice serious injuries immediately after a car accident. Many women become more focused and functional when traumatized as well, which means their adaptability might mask underlying emotional distress and PTSD symptoms.
In addition, childhood and cultural lessons make women more likely to ignore their injuries and focus on helping others, especially female caregivers. Many women have been raised in a guilt culture. They might experience guilt about an accident that wasn’t their fault and possibly even admit to fault when they did nothing wrong.
Unpaid and Paid Work Dilemmas
Women may face unique difficulties when recovering from a car accident. Women often serve as unpaid primary caregivers at home to children, pets and parents while expected to work for money and manage their romantic and other relationships. Some women struggle more than men to handle all of these responsibilities after a car accident. Per the Pew Research Center, women typically make only 85% of their male counterparts’ incomes in similar work roles. An accident can severely cost them the funds they need for necessities and survival.
If an independent woman moves in with family members or friends during her post-accident recovery or she can no longer pay bills in a two-income household, she might also experience a serious strain on her relationships. A female caregiver might face new expenses related to hiring a professional caregiver or in-home medical personnel.
Research studies have revealed that women take longer to recover on average. They often experience a high level of workplace gender stereotyping and discrimination that can result in job reduction or loss. An employer or manager might believe that a woman isn’t actually as injured as she claims and that she’s taking advantage of insurance coverage or employer benefits.
A Higher Burden of Proof
Myths about women through the ages that continue today make it harder for a woman to find people who believe her when she says another party is at fault or she’s hurt after a car crash. A male police officer might believe she’s at fault at first because of the myth that women are more easily distracted overall than men. A male doctor might believe that she’s experiencing a mental health problem or needs to diet, exercise and reduce her weight when she’s suffering with physical pain, emotional irregularities, and other accident-related symptoms. Lastly, an insurance representative, opposing counsel or an agent of the local court might believe that her claim is an attempt at a money grab because of the myth that women are gold diggers who don’t want to work to have money.
