U.S. DOT has endorsed a redesigned female crash test dummy aimed at closing a safety gap between women and men. The new dummy better reflects anatomical differences and includes more than 150 sensors to capture detailed injury data. Some automakers have expressed concerns about how the model could affect safety ratings, while bipartisan lawmakers have backed the update and related legislation. The department will publish specifications so manufacturers can build and test the new models.
U.S. DOT Endorses Redesigned Female Crash Test Dummy to Improve Safety for Women
U.S. DOT has endorsed a redesigned female crash test dummy aimed at closing a safety gap between women and men. The new dummy better reflects anatomical differences and includes more than 150 sensors to capture detailed injury data. Some automakers have expressed concerns about how the model could affect safety ratings, while bipartisan lawmakers have backed the update and related legislation. The department will publish specifications so manufacturers can build and test the new models.
11:58 AM, 11/21/2025Society
The U.S. Department of Transportation has endorsed a redesigned female crash test dummy intended to make vehicle safety testing more representative of women. Advocates say the update could help reduce the higher rates of injury and fatality women experience in crashes.
Why it matters: Research shows women are significantly more likely than men to be injured or killed in certain crashes — studies cited by the department find women are about 73% more likely to be injured in a head-on collision and 17% more likely to die in a car crash. Experts and advocates contend that existing crash-test protocols, long based on a male-bodied reference dummy developed in 1978, have contributed to a gender gap in safety outcomes.
The standard dummy used in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s five-star vehicle safety tests was modeled on a 5-foot-9 (175 cm), 171-pound (78 kg) man. Although a smaller female surrogate has existed — often fitted with a rubber jacket to simulate breasts — it has typically been placed in passenger or rear seats and rarely used for driver-seat testing even though a majority of licensed drivers are women.
The newly endorsed female dummy has been redesigned to better reflect anatomical differences between many men and women, including neck and collarbone geometry, pelvis shape, and leg structure. It is outfitted with more than 150 sensors to capture finer-grained injury data across the body.
Some automakers have raised concerns that the new model could overstate certain injury risks or change how the effectiveness of safety systems such as seat belts and airbags is evaluated. Regulators and lawmakers say the update is aimed at ensuring vehicle safety standards protect everyone more equitably.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth said, “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.”
Sen. Deb Fischer, author of the She Drives Act, urged stronger testing standards, saying the change could save lives by making testing requirements permanent and more inclusive.
The Department of Transportation said it will consider adopting the dummy in its five-star crash-test ratings after a final rule is issued. New technical specifications will be published so manufacturers can produce the dummies and the auto industry can begin testing them in vehicles.
What’s next: The agency will finalize regulatory language and publish specifications for manufacturers. If adopted into federal testing, the redesigned dummy could influence vehicle design, restraint systems and consumer safety ratings moving forward.