Norton Announces Bill to Require Gender Equality in Crash Test Dummies

Press Release

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the chair of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, today announced that she will introduce a bill to require that car crash test dummies be modeled on both male and female bodies. The federal government only uses crash test dummies modeled on male bodies, and car companies are not required to use dummies modeled on female bodies either. More important than differences in average height between males and females, there are also other biological differences in anatomy, such as average neck strength and posture, that affect how female and male bodies react in a crash. Since cars are not required to be tested with the safety of women in mind, women are at higher risk of injury and death in car crashes.

"Women have achieved equality on the road when it comes to driving, but when it comes to safety testing to keep them safe on the road, they are nowhere near achieving equality," Norton said. "Crash test standards are incredibly antiquated, and we must update these standards now, especially as more people return to their daily commute in the next few months."

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