Male and female car drivers - difference in collision and injury risks

Crash data from two UK resources were examined for differences between male and female passenger car drivers in collision circumstances and injury outcomes. The proportion of female car licence holders is growing, women are more likely to be the driver in a collision and are more vulnerable to injury particularly neck strain. Women drive smaller, lighter cars compared to men and are more often the driver of the smaller vehicle in a multivehicle collision. Vehicle design, crash testing programmes and regulation, currently based heavily on the average male, should give more balanced consideration to female characteristics in future activities.