FEMALES MORE VULNERABLE THAN MALES IN ROAD ACCIDENTS. IN: SEAT BELTS: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ESSENTIAL SAFETY FEATURE

To assess differences in thorax tolerance between males and females, the study analyzed a sub-sample of 295 occupants wearing a seat belt equipped with a textile shock absorber, and a series of thorax bone resistance tests covering 245 cadavers and occupants who deceased in traffic accidents. The above two studies reach the same conclusions: female vulnerability to fatal accident risks is 20% to 25% higher. Based on the study, it can be concluded that this higher risk is attributable to the female skeleton's being less able to sustain the same stresses as males. Also, female impact tolerance is less than expected on the basis of the proportional difference in mean weights between the two sexes.