On average, women in the U.S. are
more likely to be injured or die in vehicle collisions. Yet, until now, U.S. safety testing has
never once used a female-specific crash test dummy to learn how to protect women from these risks.
That is finally changing, with the introduction of the crash test dummy known as "
THOR-05F." Now, for the first time, automakers will be able to study the impacts of crashes and collisions on women, and it's about time.
This just proves the importance of examining factors like gender, and even age, frame, and different body types - the types of "DEI" measures the Trump administration abhors.
Sign the petition to demand that automakers expand their research to examine the risks of collisions on many different diverse body types! We deserve to have cars that will keep all of us as safe as possible!The crash test dummies that automakers in the U.S. are currently testing on have been around for upwards of 40 years. Meanwhile, the world's first female crash test dummy was created in Sweden several years prior, in 2022.
How has it taken this long for corporations and U.S. government safety agencies to finally value the health and well-being of women in cars?In many places in the world, and certainly in the vast majority of the U.S., cars are inescapable. Most American cities and suburbs are designed around car usage, assuming this is the primary method of transportation. With so many people driving in these vehicles every single day, we need to know that they're as safe as possible.
Yet research suggests that women face a higher rate of death in similar crashes - with a
17% higher likelihood of death. As for serious injuries, the rates are even worse. When it comes to a front collision in a car, women are around
73% more likely to suffer significant injuries.Not all women are built the same, of course, and neither are all men or people in general. But having even some more diverse data is a huge improvement! According to The Washington Post, a 2023 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office "said the
lack of a representative slate of crash test dummies - including for women, older and heavier people - made it hard to test whether vehicle safety features are universally effective."
Hopefully we're on the path towards rectifying this astounding oversight. Sign the petition to celebrate the release of the THOR-05F female crash test dummy, and to demand the implementation of even more types of test dummies to help ensure safety for everyone!