Every Atlanta car accident lawyer knows that a motorist’s risk of being involved in auto accidents spikes in winter driving conditions.However, a new study finds that those risks affect male and female drivers differently.The study by researchers at Purdue University finds that men are much more likely to be involved in accidents in icy or snowy weather conditions.
The study finds that men over the age of 45 are much more likely to be involved in an accident when the road is covered with ice or snow.Further, those accident risks involving men seem to increase when the men are older and are driving pickup trucks.According to the researchers, this could be due to a false sense of security that pickup trucks provide.People driving pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles or other larger vehicles are likely to feel safer and protected, and therefore, may be more likely to drive aggressively on snowy roads.They may not realize that a larger size vehicle does not necessary protect you more on icy roads when a vehicle is at a high risk of a rollover.
The study also finds that men below the age of 45 are more likely to be involved in serious accidents on dry roads.That would again be an indicator of overconfidence in young men.Female drivers were found to be much more likely to be involved in accidents on rain-covered roads.This susceptibility to accidents on roads made wet by rain affected female motorists of all age groups.According to the researchers, this could be because female drivers fail to sense lower friction on a wet road.Younger men had a 21% higher risk of being involved in a serious accident on a dry road than on a wet road.These men were 72% more likely to be involved in an accident on dry roads than on snowy roads.
The researchers are recommending a public service announcement campaign that would alert motorists to the dangers of driving on snowy or icy roads in the weeks ahead.Many motorists suffer from a false sense of security because of the electronic stability control systems in their automobiles.More vehicles now come with these safety systems.Automakers have done a great job of promoting the electronic stability control systems, a fact that Atlanta car accident lawyers have approved.After all, electronic stability control systems have contributed to a reduced risk of rollover accidents involving sports utility vehicles, pickup trucks and minivans.However, electronic stability control systems are not foolproof.They do have limited efficacy, especially when a vehicle is traveling on a road that has been made wet by rain, snow or ice.A person whose car comes with electronic stability control may feel safe, and may drive at high speeds causing an accident.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent persons who have been injured in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia.