The fear of getting involved in an automobile crash has been around since the invention of the car, and it’s something that all drivers think about at some point. But new research shows that having locked doors may actually reduce the risk of a person getting hurt in a crash.

The study, conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, looked at hundreds of automobile accidents over a two-year period. The researchers found that when a car had all its doors locked, the likelihood of the doors being forced open during a crash was reduced by 75%.

This is because, in a crash, the impact of a locked door creates more resistance than an unlocked door, and thus lessens the amount of force that is transferred to the person inside the vehicle. Additionally, locking the doors also makes it more difficult for a vehicle to roll over, which is a major cause of serious injury.

The study found that even when the doors locked were unlocked, they still had a decrease in force that was transferred to the passengers. This is because the locking mechanisms on cars are designed to keep the doors closed in an accident, and thus reduce the risk of them opening during a crash.

The researchers also caution that having locked doors is no substitute for taking proper safety precautions while driving. Seatbelts and airbags are the primary protection in a car crash, and having a car’s doors locked won’t make up for other safety measures that are not taken.

However, the study does show that locked doors are an important part of reducing the risk of injury in the event of a crash. Taking the time to lock the car doors before starting the engine can be an important part of ensuring that everyone in the vehicle is as safe as possible.