Researchers at the Institute of Vehicle Safety at TU Graz have found that despite increased safety levels in modern cars, women are more likely to suffer serious injuries in car accidents than men. Analysis conducted in Austria between 2012 and 2024 shows that in identical crash conditions, women's risk of injury is on average 1.6 times higher than men's. This was reported by Ixbt.com .
Study lead Corina Klug notes that women sustain more injuries to the chest, spine, and limbs. Low-speed collisions are particularly dangerous for women over 50, who are twice as likely to suffer severe injuries or fatalities compared to men.
Scientists used virtual biomechanical models to reconstruct accidents and study how seat position affects safety. It turns out that modern seatbelts and airbags are often not adapted to the specific body structures of passengers, particularly women, or non-standard seat positions.
The root of the problem lies in the history of car crash tests. For decades, safety standards were developed based solely on the "average male" metrics. Even crash test dummies intended for "women" are essentially scaled-down versions of male models, failing to fully account for female anatomical features such as pelvic width or shoulder geometry.
Researchers conclude that women are not just "small men," and universal models lead to errors in safety assessments. Currently, specialized dummies adapted to female anatomy are only used in rear-impact tests, but they are not yet widely adopted.
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