Young Males More Likely to Survive Crashes

According to a new study, young males have a much higher chance of surviving a head-on accident. Other factors that seem to increase a person’s chances of surviving an accident are driving a new vehicle, and driving a large vehicle like an SUV.

The study was conducted by researchers at the School of Public Health at Indiana University, and the findings were presented recently at a meeting of the American Public Health Association. The study’s findings were based on an analysis of more than 1,100 head-on accidents. The researchers found that people in the 15- to- 24 age group were involved in 21% of the accidents, but had a fatality rate of 39%, which was among the lowest.

Not surprisingly, the size of the vehicle was another huge factor in determining a person’s chances of survival in a serious head-on accident. People riding in cars were found to be 17 times more likely to die in an accident, compared to those in light trucks. They were also 19 times more likely to die, compared to those in an SUV. Other factors associated with a higher chance of surviving an accident included using seatbelts, airbag deployment during an accident, and driving a newer vehicle.

Many accidents are caused by circumstances beyond our control. There isn’t much that you can do to avoid an accident if you’re traveling in the direction of a wrong way driver. Accidents are also often caused because of other people’s errors and negligent driving. Driving under the influence of alcohol, driving while using a cell phone, driving while fatigues and driving while distracted by passengers in the car-all of these increase a person’s risk of being involved in an accident significantly. Those behaviors can endanger not only the motorist and the occupants of his car, but also motorists in the vicinity.