The U.S. Department of Transportation announced a new, high-tech crash test dummy that is designed to better represent a small woman. Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Transportation
The Department of Transportation has introduced new crash test dummies that have a specifically small female design, to “address the trend of higher injury rates for women than men in certain car crash scenarios.”
Crash testing has used the Hybrid III dummy in the past, but now it will adopt the THOR-05F for women, the department said in a press release.
“The Left doesn’t want to hear it, but the science is clear: there are only two sexes — male and female. That biological fact isn’t just a talking point — it’s an important safety consideration when designing cars,” Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy in a statement.
“After years of delays, our team has worked hard over the last eight months to finalize the details for this new, state-of-the-art female crash test dummy. Under the leadership of President Trump, this Department will continue to put the safety of American families — including women — first,” he said.
The new THOR-05F is more durable, accurate and lifelike, and can collect three times more injury measurements that current dummies because of more than 150 “cutting-edge” sensors, according to the department.
“Safety drives everything we do at the [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]. Better understanding the unique ways in which women are impacted differently in crashes than men is essential to reducing traffic fatalities,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Jonathan Morrison.
“This is a long overdue step toward the full adoption of this new dummy for use in our safety ratings and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards,” Morrison said.
The family of test dummies used by the NHTSA represents several family members, including children.
The male dummies are 5-foot-9 and described as 50th percentile in size, but the adult female dummy Hybrid III version is listed as in the 5th percentile, at 4-foot-11, and weighing 108 lbs., only three inches taller than the 10-year-old child dummy.
The average height of an American woman is about 5-foot-3.5 and 171.8 lbs., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The THOR-05F appears to be the same height as the Hybrid III women’s dummy, though the size isn’t listed in the documents provided.
Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., lauded the debut of the new female dummies, noting that she has long sought that they be updated.
“I’ve been pushing for years to update crash testing standards, which do not account for all of America’s drivers — particularly women,” Fischer said in a statement.
“It’s why I’ve been a steady champion of my She DRIVES Act to enhance passenger vehicle safety,” she added. “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. I’m ready to finish the job.”
