The newest research conducted by Graz University of Technology indicates that, despite substantial advancements in vehicle safety, women are still 60% more likely than men to sustain injuries in car accidents, especially in low-speed collisions. By analyzing accident data from Austria collected between 2012 and 2024, and integrating this information with virtual human models, the study discovered that women are at a higher risk of suffering severe injuries to their chest, spine, and limbs, with elderly women facing the greatest danger. The root cause of this disparity is that vehicle safety standards have, for a long time, been designed based on male body measurements. Traditional female crash test dummies are simply smaller versions of male models and do not accurately reflect the female body's characteristics. The United States has introduced the THOR-05F female-specific dummy, which is modeled after real female anatomy to improve the precision of testing. Moreover, women are more inclined to sit in the front passenger seat, where a reclined sitting position diminishes the effectiveness of safety protections, thereby further increasing the risk.
