Getting into a car accident in Monmouth County can lead to serious injuries. The process of recovering from a devastating crash can be lengthy and expensive. While some accidents may not be preventable, experts are constantly trying to make vehicles as safe as possible in order to save lives and minimize injuries.
One useful tool that car manufacturers use to see how crashes affect the human body is crash-test dummies. For many years, the dummies have been modeled after the average American male and female. However, both the age and weight of drivers in this country have increased and now engineers are making crash-test dummies that reflect this change so that they can better understand how sudden impacts affect these drivers.
There are many older drivers on the road today than perhaps there were in previous generations. Older people have typically undergone physical changes, such as shifts in posture that affect their center of gravity and cause their chests to sag inward. Therefore, one of the new types of crash-test dummy is modeled after a woman who is 70 years old and is overweight.
The other new type is reflective of the fact that obesity is a widespread problem and many Americans weight significantly more that was considered average in the past. When overweight drivers are involved in a crash, they are twice as likely to suffer injuries to the lower part of body since their weight can cause them to slip under the seat belt.
Despite the best efforts of experts in the industry, car accidents are not likely to stop happening any time soon. People who have been injured in a motor vehicle accident may wish to consult with an experienced attorney.
Source: CNN, “Crash-test dummies are older and fatter – just like many Americans,” Alexandra Larkin, Feb. 11, 2017
