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Are pregnant drivers more likely to crash?
A new Canadian study suggests that pregnant women are more likely to be involved in a serious motor-vehicle accident, especially in their second trimesters.
Why is this? And does this finding mean you should avoid driving while pregnant?
The study, authored by Dr. Donald Redelmeier at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Ontario, examined more than 500,000 pregnant women for four years before delivery and one year after. According to Live Science, the study found that about 1 in 50 pregnant women will be involved in a serious motor-vehicle accident.
Even when pregnant women are passengers in cars, there is a risk of miscarriage stemming from a serious crash. Redelmeier's study pointed to a 42 percent increase in crash risk for women before they were pregnant and women during their second trimesters.
Redelmeier speculates that women who have passed the first trimester of pregnancy may feel a false sense of security, combined with insomnia, back pain, and "a more hectic life," reports Live Science. Stress, pains, and a busy schedule often lead drivers to be less than focused while driving, and distracted driving is a proven cause of accidents.
So what can pregnant women do to prevent becoming another statistic?
There's no evidence suggesting that pregnant women are any less capable of being safe drivers, so following these tips can help increase safe driving while pregnant:
And if you are involved in a car accident while pregnant, you can always reach out to an experienced car accident attorney for answers.
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