TABLE 1—
Sample and Crash Characteristics, by Gender: 1997–2001
| Male Drivers | Female Drivers | |
| Sample size | 13007 | 9100 |
| Weighted size, millions | 6.49 | 5.06 |
| Driver characteristics, mean (95% CI) | ||
| Age, y | 35.9 (34.7, 37.1) | 35.2 (34.3, 36.2) |
| Height, cm | 177.9 (177.0, 178.8) | 164.3 (164.0, 164.6)* |
| Weight, kg | 81.9 (81.3, 82.5) | 66.8 (65.1, 68.4)* |
| Body mass index,a kg/m2 | 25.8 (25.6, 26.1) | 24.7 (24.2, 25.3)* |
| Crash characteristics, mean (95% CI) | ||
| Vehicle age,b y | 7.4 (7.0, 7.8) | 6.0 (5.7, 6.4)* |
| Vehicle weight,c kg | 1435.4 (1412.4, 1458.3) | 1338.9 (1312.4, 1365.3)* |
| Road speed limit,c,d km/hr | 67.3 (64.8, 69.7) | 66.1 (64.5, 67.8) |
| Change in velocity,c km/hr | 21.0 (19.9, 22.1) | 19.9 (19.3, 20.6)* |
| Type of collision, % (95% CI) | ||
| Front end | 58.4 (56.3, 60.6) | 56.8 (53.1, 60.5) |
| Left side | 14.9 (12.2, 17.5) | 15.2 (13.1, 17.2) |
| Right side | 14.8 (13.2, 16.4) | 18.4 (17.0, 19.8)* |
| Other | 11.7 (9.6, 13.9) | 9.3 (6.6, 12.0) |
| Unknown | 0.2 (0.0, 0.4) | 0.3 (0.0, 0.6) |
| Airbag deployment, % (95% CI) | ||
| Deployed | 17.8 (15.7, 19.8) | 22.8 (21.2, 24.4)* |
| Did not deploy | 79.7 (77.8, 81.6) | 74.9 (72.9, 76.9)* |
| Unknown | 2.6 (1.7, 3.4) | 2.3 (1.5, 3.1) |
| Seat belt use, % (95% CI) | ||
| No | 12.0 (7.5, 16.4) | 6.1 (3.7, 8.4)* |
| Yes | 81.0 (75.4, 86.7) | 87.9 (83.1, 92.6)* |
| Unknown | 7.0 (2.6, 11.4) | 6.1 (1.2, 10.9) |
| Manner of collision, % (95% CI) | ||
| Single vehicle | 29.8 (24.8, 34.8) | 23.2 (17.9, 28.4)* |
| 2 or more vehicles | 68.9 64.0, 73.8) | 75.5 (70.2, 80.8)* |
| Unknown | 1.3 (0.7, 2.0) | 1.4 (0.4, 2.3) |
| Alcohol use, % (95% CI) | ||
| Positive | 12.6 (9.8, 15.4) | 4.9 (2.9, 6.8)* |
| Negative | 75.4 (72.3, 78.5) | 83.5 (81.1, 85.9)* |
| Unknown | 12.1 (10.3, 13.9) | 11.7 (8.2, 15.2) |
| Drug use, % (95% CI) | ||
| Positive | 2.6 (0.9, 4.2) | 1.6 (0.7, 2.5) |
| Negative | 71.6 (62.2, 81.0) | 77.4 (70.6, 84.3)* |
| Unknown | 25.8 (16.9, 34.8) | 21.0 (13.8, 28.1)* |
Note. CI = confidence interval.
aBody mass index = weight in kilograms divided by squared height in meters.
b Vehicle age = year of accident – year of vehicle model.
c Some items had missing values (vehicle weight: men 12 440, women 8756; road speed limit: men 12 668, women 8829; and change in velocity: men 7009, women 5535).
dPosted speed limit on the roadside.
*P < .05; comparisons between men and women were made with an adjusted Wald test.