Probably no one has missed the news features decrying the epidemic of obesity in America and worldwide. Many of us have been experiencing unwanted weight gains that threaten our health in multiple ways. Most of us know about the danger of diabetes and associated kidney failure. But our Pearland personal injury lawyers realize that you might not ever have considered how your weight affects your risk of injury or death in a car accident.
Passenger car crash tests to test vehicle safety and the effect of safety features like seatbelts and airbags are conducted using crash test dummies designed to conform to an average weight and height. There are different dummies corresponding to an adult size and to a child’s size. The crash test dummies are generally based on an average male size, height and weight.
Predictably, our Pearland personal injury lawyers note that these “average” models do not account for how the same vehicle safety features and crush zones will affect people with sizes outside of the tested “norm.” Studies have shown before that airbags and seatbelts for instance, don’t fully protect adults that are smaller than average, much larger or taller than average, or who age or illness causes to sit “out of position” in a vehicle.
The growing obesity epidemic and a larger number of people classified as overweight or obese becoming victims of vehicle accidents led the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) undertook a study to see how a person’s weight, or Body Mass Index (BMI), might affect their changes for survival or severe injuries in a serious car accident. The study, Effects of BMI on the risk and frequency of AIS 3+ injuries in motor-vehicle crashes (March 12, 2003) focused on crash effects to various body regions in adult accident victims involved in frontal, nearside, farside, and rollover crashes.
This study was the first to examine the risk of injury to various body regions based on BMI in different types of crashes. Results of the study revealed that increased BMI:
Interestingly enough, the data indicated that if no vehicle occupants were obese in a frontal crash situation, 7% fewer severe upper extremities, 8% fewer serious lower extremity injuries, and 28% fewer severe spinal injuries would occur. Our Pearland personal injury lawyers mention that the study focused on injuries found by the AIS injury classification system to be of levels 3 through 6. An injury of severity 3 requires hospitalization. An injury of severity 6 is life threatening and usually fatal.
The results of the study provide further evidence that we all need to watch our weight for health injuries. A high BMI not only increases our risk of certain diseases like obesity and heart disease, it also decreased our body’s ability to cope with threats like car accident injuries. The UMTRI study also indicated some need for further study in the realm of vehicle design and safety features to account for the needs of larger individuals with higher BMIs.
Contact our Pearland Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Initial Legal Consultation if You have Questions after a Serious Car Accident Injury
We always provide a free, no obligation initial legal consultation to discuss the particulars of your accident and evaluate your potential for a full financial recovery for your injuries. Our more than 14 years of experience resolving complex injury cases like yours could guide you in making the informed decisions you need after a serious car accident injury. Contact the Board Certified Pearland personal injury lawyers at Denena Points, PC at 713-807-9500 or reach us through our online contact form and put our knowledge and experience to work for your benefit.