Gender differences in injury severity risks in crashes at signalized intersections

This paper analyzes gender differences in crash risk severities using data for signalized intersections. It estimates gender models for injury severity risks and finds that driver condition, type of crash, type of vehicle driven and vehicle safety features have different effects on females’ and males’ injury severity risks. Also, it finds some variables which are significantly related to females’ injury severity risks but not males’ and others which affect males’ injury severity risks but not females’. It concludes that better and more in-depth information about gender differences in injury severity risks is gained by estimating separate models for females and males.

► The paper finds larger increases in the marginal effects of driver characteristics on females’ injury severity risks than males’. ► Smaller decreases in the marginal effects of types on crashes on females’ injury severity risks compared to males. ► Except pickups we found larger increases in the marginal effects of types of vehicles involved in a crash on males’ injury severity risks than females’. ► In crashes where vehicle occupants wore three-point seat belts there were smaller reductions in the risks of females sustaining severe injuries compared to males. ► In severe crashes where front and side airbags deploy we found the risks of females sustaining severe injuries are higher than males.