According to a recent study published in the BMJ Group's Emergency Medicine Journal, obese people are much more likely to die in car accidents than their counterparts of normal weight. In the study, researchers compared date from 57,491 accidents reported between 1996 and 2008, noticing that obesity was a common factor for deadly injuries.
How Obesity Endangers Your Life in an Accident
Approximately 1 in 3 adults and 1 in 5 children are obese in America. This is according to the World Health Organization's standard of a body mass index of 30. In car accidents, a person's weight and body mass became extremely important because it determined in part how safety equipment fit on consumers' bodies and how their bodies reacted in a car accident. Obese people's bodies sustained more serious and deadly injuries than people of normal size. The study concluded the following:
- obese people's lower bodies were propelled further in auto accidents, increasing the risk of severe injuries
- obese people's pelvises thrust lower into seatbelts, increasing the risk of serious injuries
- obese people's seat belts fit less snugly than people of smaller size
- obese people often use seat belts incorrectly because they are not comfortable to wear, increasing the risk of serious injuries
Seat belts have been proven to save lives. When they are used incorrectly or they cannot function properly due to a consumer's size, this safety equipment may be of little use in preventing consumer injury.
If you have been injured in a car accident, you should not only seek out skilled medical attention, but you should also call an experienced personal injury attorney. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Find out today by calling a skilled personal injury attorney.
