Academic study: ‘Loose clothing puts women at risk’

KARACHI: Women need to be extra careful about managing their loose-fitting clothes if they are taking a motorcycle ride as it puts them at risk of injury. A new study published on June 2 in the International Journal of Injury Control and Safety examined data of this phenomenon from 2007 to 2009. The researchers found that while the number was small, just 986 clothing-related injuries out of 99,155 road traffic injury cases, 73% of them were women. The crashes involving clothing-related injuries were mostly single vehicle (98.5%), and largely resulted in injuries to the external body (60.3%), limbs (51%), head (41.5%) and face (35.9%). One-third of injuries were either moderate (26.7%) or severe (10.2%) while 10 (1.01%) deaths were reported. The women tended to be over 45 years old. and intersections seemed to be the most dangerous places for this type of injury. The researchers recommended people install covers on the rear wheels and drive chains of the motorcycles.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2014.