Can Gender Influence Your Car Accident Risk in Encinitas?

Whether you are driving in Encinitas or elsewhere in Southern California, it is important to be aware of common motor vehicle collision risks and to take steps to reduce the likelihood of being involved in a crash. For example, it is important to avoid any form of distracted driving, intoxicated driving, fatigued driving, and aggressive driving. But are there other facts that affect your car accident risk over which you have less control? According to a recent report from KTLA 5, male drivers are known to be at a higher risk of being killed in a car accident anywhere in the US, and they are at particular risk in California. Indeed, as that report explains, “California is listed among the top 10 deadliest states for male crash victims.”

What should you know about gender and car accident risk? And what should you do if you are injured in a motor vehicle collision in Encinitas or nearby? An experienced Encinitas car accident lawyer at our firm can tell you more.

Understanding Gender and Car Crash Risk

The report in KTLA 5 indicates that, for every female death in a car crash in California, four males, on average, are killed in crashes. Data cited in that report indicates that California is the eighth-deadliest state in the country for male drivers. Another recent report in Forbes suggests that gender is not the only factor and that California cities are also particularly accident-prone places. Both Los Angeles and San Diego are in the top 50 US cities for car crashes, and the Los Angeles area is in the top 10.

A new study in PLoS One does confirm that male drivers nationwide are more likely to be involved in a single-vehicle crash than female drivers are, but the data does not show marked differences in other types of crashes.

What to Do After a Car Accident in Encinitas

If you are involved in a motor vehicle collision, it is important to take steps to maintain your eligibility to file a claim and to gather as much evidence as possible to support your case later on. If you can, document the scene of the collision with your phone, taking both photos and videos for documentation. You should also obtain contact information for any witnesses who may be able to provide useful information, as well as contact information and personal details for the person who you believe caused the crash.

You should not make any assumptions about fault based on a motorist’s gender or other factors, even though studies do suggest that male drivers might be involved in severe and deadly crashes at a higher rate than female drivers. As the study in PLoS One underscores, this relative risk factor is not innate but a result of socialized impulses. And, importantly, overall, “the proportion of crashes involving multiple vehicles is similar across sex,” and the “distribution by sex of the number of occupations in a vehicle are similar as well.”

Contact an Encinitas Car Accident Attorney Today

Do you need help filing a claim after a car crash? An Encinitas auto accident lawyer at our firm can talk with you today about your options. Contact the Walton Law Firm for assistance with your case.

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