Additional Coverage:
New Female Crash Test Dummy Aims to Boost Safety for Women on the Road
**Washington D.C. ** – The U.S.
Department of Transportation (DOT) has unveiled a new female crash test dummy, THOR-05F, marking a significant stride in addressing the disproportionately high injury and fatality rates for women in car accidents. This new model is designed to better reflect female anatomy, a departure from the male-centric dummies that have been the industry standard for decades.
For years, crash testing has predominantly relied on a dummy modeled after a 5-foot-9, 171-pound man. While smaller female-sized dummies have been used, they often sit in passenger or back seats and are essentially scaled-down versions of their male counterparts, lacking specific anatomical distinctions. This oversight has contributed to startling statistics: women are 73% more likely to be injured in a head-on crash and 17% more likely to be killed in a car crash than men.
“Advances in technology now make it possible to more accurately account for the biological differences between male and female anatomy in crash testing,” stated the Department of Transportation in a recent announcement. The THOR-05F boasts more human-like features, including female-specific proportions for the neck, collarbone, pelvis, and legs, and is equipped with over 150 sensors to capture detailed injury data.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that once a final rule is adopted, the new dummy will be considered for inclusion in the government’s five-star vehicle crash test ratings. Additionally, the THOR-05F will be made available to automotive manufacturers and the industry for their own vehicle testing.
The push for a more accurate female crash dummy has gained momentum from advocates like Maria Weston Kuhn, a New York University law student. After a severe 2019 crash in Ireland where her seatbelt failed her, resulting in ruptured intestines, Kuhn began lobbying Congress for legislation mandating the use of advanced female dummies.
While she welcomes the DOT’s announcement, Kuhn remains cautious, stating, “I fear that with this announcement everybody will throw up their hands and say we’ve won. But we are far from crossing the finish line,” emphasizing the need for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to fully integrate the new model into its official testing protocols.
However, the adoption of THOR-05F isn’t without its skeptics. Some American automakers have expressed concerns that the new model might exaggerate injury risks and potentially undermine the perceived effectiveness of existing safety features like seatbelts and airbags.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a research body funded by auto insurers, also maintains that current dummies used to represent women have already led to significant safety improvements. Joe Young, a spokesperson for IIHS, noted, “Certainly, we are going to continue to monitor the new tools and perhaps do some additional research.
But for now, our researchers are content and confident that the dummies we’re using are doing a good job.”
Despite these reservations, bipartisan support for updated crash test rules is evident. Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) both lauded the announcement.
Senator Fischer, who introduced the “She Drives Act” requiring advanced testing devices including a female crash test dummy (co-sponsored by Senator Duckworth), remarked, “It’s far past time to make these testing standards permanent, which will help save thousands of lives and make America’s roads safer for all drivers.” Senator Duckworth added, “Any progress here is good because there’s simply no good reason why women are more likely to be injured or die in car crashes.”
The introduction of THOR-05F represents a critical step toward more equitable vehicle safety, with proponents hopeful that this advanced technology will lead to safer cars for all drivers.