renton fatal auto accident | Seattle Personal Injury & Accident Blog

Obesity Increases Chances of Being Killed in Crash

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on February 1, 2013

There are many factors that could affect whether or not someone will survive a Washington car accident, including the speed of the impact, types of vehicles involved, and whether or not safety belts were worn at the time of the crash. A new study suggests that obesity can affect a vehicle occupant’s chances of surviving a crash as well.

According to a study that was published in Emergency Medicine Journal, morbidly obese individuals are 80 percent more likely to die in a car crash. The study looked at thousands of accidents and the occupants involved between the years 1996 and 2008. The study goes on to say that you do not have to be morbidly obese to have an increased chance of being the victim of a fatal auto accident. Obese drivers with a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 35 are 20 percent more likely to die in a crash when compared to individuals of normal weight. Researchers say that these findings even hold up when considering seat belt use, air bag deployment, and alcohol use. Read the rest »