Comparison of male and female SUV-driver injury rates in similar crashes.

Objective: The current study sought to determine the extent of differences in serious injury risk by sex using crash data maintained by individual U.S. states. As with many earlier studies, crash and vehicle differences were controlled. The vehicles of interest were restricted to SUVs, the most popular vehicle type in the U.S.

Methods: Records of SUV-driver crash involvements during 2017 to 2023 were obtained from motor-vehicle crash files maintained by 13 states. Logistic regressions were used to model the odds of a serious or fatal injury for each of the states (A or K on the KABCO scale). Common predictors were light condition (dark vs. daylight), road surface condition (dry vs. slippery), vehicle age (7-12 years old vs. younger), vehicle weight ratio (case vehicle to partner vehicle), driver age (< 25 years vs. 25-64 years vs. 65+ years), and driver sex (female vs. male). An overall female-to-male injury odds ratio was computed from the weighted average of the logarithms of individual state odds ratios.

Results: The data were restricted to safety-belt-restrained SUV drivers in head-on crashes with another passenger vehicle. Serious and fatal injuries were coded for 3.8% of the female drivers and 3.4% of the male drivers. Crashes in darkness and crashes of older drivers were significantly more likely to result in serious/fatal injuries, while crashes of younger drivers were significantly less likely to result in serious/fatal injuries. Female drivers were 17% more likely than males to incur serious/fatal injuries (95% confidence limits 8% to 27%). When the opposing vehicle was another SUV, female drivers were only 11% more likely than males to incur serious/fatal injuries (95% confidence limits -4% to 28%). However, female drivers were 20% more likely than males to incur at least minor injuries (95% confidence limits 13% to 28%).

Conclusions: Observed differences in serious injury rates for female and male drivers declined after accounting for other driver, vehicle, and crash characteristics. In similar crash circumstances, female drivers are more likely than males to be injured, but this difference is clear only for minor injuries.