Drivers should be especially cautious during the second trimester, when accidents are statistically most likely.
According to a study conducted by Canadian researchers, pregnant women need to be more careful when driving. The study concluded that women are 42 percent more likely to be in a car accident while pregnant.
The researchers analyzed records belonging to over 500,000 women from 2006 to 2011 to compare the risk of car accidents before, during, and after pregnancy. The study only considered serious accidents that landed the women in the emergency room. Researchers found that before pregnancy, the group of women had an average of 177 car accidents per month. During pregnancy, there were 252 accidents per month.
While these findings applied to women from diverse populations and backgrounds within Canada, the researchers did note some other factors that affected the relative risk. For example, the risk seemed to be higher in the fall and winter as well as in the afternoons. Furthermore, the risk was also higher during the beginning of the second trimester of pregnancy that at any other stage.
The lead researcher, Dr. Donald Redelmeier, suggested that accidents were more likely in the fall and winter due to weather conditions, and more likely in the second trimester due to how women feel. “In that second trimester, women are feeling really good. It contributes to that false sense of security,” he said. “They are rushing around to get things done before the baby comes.” But, as time goes on, the pregnancy becomes more obvious to friends and family, who may counsel the pregnant women to be more cautious.
The study did not include any data on the cause of the accidents, so it is unknown what percent of these accidents were caused by the pregnant women or by other drivers. However, Dr. Redelmeier did mention the hormonal and brain changes that affect expectant mothers in a way that seemed to indicate a suspicion that the women were causing the accidents.
However, it is important to note that being distracted or using poor judgment while driving does not necessarily preclude you from filing an auto accident injury claim. It is entirely possible for more than one driver to be at fault for an accident, in which case liability for any damages will be split between them according to the percentage of fault each one had.
If you or a loved one must drive while in that dangerous second semester of pregnancy, make sure that the lap portion of the seatbelt is placed below the curve of the belly and the seat is pushed back as far as practical from the steering wheel. Both of these measures will help protect the baby in the event of an accident.
