When you get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, you voluntarily open yourself up to a great deal of risk. No matter what type of safety precautions you take before hitting the streets, there is a chance that a negligent, reckless, impaired or drunk driver has made the decision to occupy the streets as well.
While defensive driving and wearing seat belts are some of the best ways to avoid car accidents and possible injury or death on the road, new studies are suggesting that maintaining a healthy weight may also be an effective measure for staying alive if a car accident does occur while you are driving in Fayetteville.
Along with the increased risk of dying from heart disease, diabetes or a stroke, obesity is now thought to be a contributing factor to losing one’s life in a car crash. Studies have shown that the higher a person’s BMI is, the more unlikely they are to survive a serious car accident.
The added risk to obese drivers is being more immobile because there is more mass at the bottom of their bodies, which is pushed forward before the seat belt can reach the pelvis, causing the top of an obese driver’s body to be restrained by the belt. An average size person starts to move forward during a collision while a heavier set person remains less mobile, which may be more harmful.
No matter what your body type is, you may be entitled to compensation if you are injured in a car accident that was caused by a negligent or drunk driver. If a family member or loved one is involved in a fatal accident, surviving family members may be entitled to recover compensation for lost wages and funeral costs associated with the wrongful death of a loved one. Folks may want to immediately seek legal help from an attorney if a car accident has caused an unforeseen tragedy in their lives.
Source: CBS News, “Obese drivers more likely to die in car accidents, study finds,” Michelle Castillo, Jan. 22, 2013