The push for female crash test dummies

For decades, automotive safety standards have been based on crash test dummies modeled after the average male, neglecting the anatomical differences of female drivers and passengers.

The federal She DRIVES Act aims to rectify this disparity by mandating the use of advanced female crash test dummies that accurately represent women’s physiology in safety testing.

If enacted, it is estimated the She DRIVES Act could save 1,300 lives per year. Women are 73% more likely to suffer serious injuries and 17% more likely to be killed in head-on collisions, yet car safety standards are still largely designed for men.

Marc Lamber, an attorney, joined us to discuss why women are more likely to suffer injuries and what the act will mean for car makers if it passes.

Lamber has been a personal injury attorney for over 30 years, and he has repeatedly noticed women suffer different injuries than men in car crashes, for example, clavicle injury or fracture that is caused by a seatbelt and pelvic injuries.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the organization promoting the regulations and safety of drivers and will implement crash test dummies that represent the 50th percentile of women. The design will include “their muscle mass, their differences in the pelvic girdle, all different areas of the body, which previously hadn’t been addressed at all for safety purposes,” Lamber said.

Lamber said he also thinks safety regulations for people who have smaller or larger bodies should be addressed as well.