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A new study examined the link between gender, age and traffic injuries. The team from the Barcelona Public Health Agency reported that young men and elderly women are more likely to get hurt from traffic-related injuries such as driving on the road or simply crossing the street.

"Among the youngest pedestrians and drivers, men show a greater risk of mild and serious injury than women, although the differences are reversed as age increases, such that elderly females are more likely to injure themselves than males," Elena Santamariña, one of the authors, explained reported by Medical Xpress.

For this study, the researchers examined data provided by the 2005 Daily Mobility Survey of Catalonia. The information contained different modes and times of transportation for around 100,000 people. The data were then extrapolated to estimate the numbers for similar regions in Spain.

The researchers stated that young men had a greater risk of accidents because they took more risks while driving. They were more likely than women to be speeding or using some kind of psychoactive substance. On the other end, older women were also vulnerable to these injuries because of less driving experiencing.

"Moreover, women tend to drive more along city streets - generally for journeys associated with the family and home - where there is likely to be more congestion, increasing the probability of collision, although the accidents are less serious because the speed is lower," Santamariña added.

Acknowledging these risk factors could potentially help reduce traffic-related injuries. Young men and older women could take extra precautions when getting behind a wheel. The study "Gender differences in road traffic injury rate using time travelled as a measure of exposure," was published in the journal, Accident, Analysis and Prevention.