Christie Farrell Lee & Bell
  • About
    • Attorneys
    • Our Blog
    • Indiana Injury Case Co-Counsel
    • Firm News
    • Video Center
  • Practice Areas
    • Truck Accidents
    • Car Accidents
    • Catastrophic Injuries
    • Medical Malpractice
    • Motorcycle Accidents
    • Premises Liability
    • Nursing Home Abuse
    • Wrongful Death
    • Product Liability
  • Areas Served
    • Indianapolis
    • Fort Wayne
    • Evansville
    • South Bend
    • Bloomington
    • Gary
    • Lafayette
    • Muncie
    • Terre Haute
    • Lawrenceburg
    • Kokomo
    • Richmond
  • Reviews
  • Results
  • Giving Back
  • Contact Us
Call Us Today! CTA Icon 317-488-5500

Blog Vehicle Crash Safety Testing Overlooks Women

Vehicle Crash Safety Testing Overlooks Women

December 22, 2019
By Christie Farrell Lee & Bell
YouTubeLinkedInFacebookGoogle BusinessYelp
Prev Post Next Post

Vehicle Crash Testing Overlooks Women

A study by Consumer Reports reviewed forty years of crash testing data and accident reporting from across the United States, to uncover a deep bias in the automotive testing industry. That is the fact that a crash test dummy represents an average man, and only an average man.

So what does that mean for women, who represent half of the drivers on the road today? Auto manufacturers and testers may knowingly fail in their duty to protect female drivers and passengers as much as they could.

Have you been injured in a motor vehicle accident? Christie Farrell Lee & Bell has an experienced team of car accident attorneys who can help you explore your options.

Average Crash Test Dummies Show Bias

The standard crash test dummy is 5’9” and weighs 171 pounds. This is assumed to represent the 50th percentile male, though the dummy hasn’t been changed since the 1970’s. In 1980 regulators brought up the fact that a female dummy was needed. It took until 2003 for the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration to put a female dummy in the car. When they finally did, it was a dummy that represents only about 5% of women because it is so small. This dummy is so small, it can double as a 12-13-year-old child if needed. The dummy also takes no account for the differences in shape between male and female bodies.

Lastly, the female dummy is only included as a passenger in front collision tests, if it is included at all. Never is the car tested for front collision safety with a female dummy in the driver’s seat. Cars are not tested for the safety of a female driver whatsoever, and they are rarely adequately tested for the safety of a female passenger.

How Are Women Drivers at Risk?

The fact is that women are not just smaller versions of men. Women sit closer to the steering wheel, wear their seatbelts differently, and have differently shaped pelvises and weaker necks than men, among many other factors Consumer Reports called out in their findings. The result of automotive manufacturers and regulators ignoring this for decades has been many unnecessary wrongful deaths and injuries in accidents. For instance, females are three times more likely to suffer whiplash than men, but because of the failure to test cars for women, seats that have been designed in the last few years to try to prevent whiplash don’t work for female drivers. These same seats prevent over 70% of life-altering cases of whiplash in men. This is just one example of the way this bias can and does have permanent impact on individuals’ lives.

Ultimately, female drivers and right front passengers are 17% more likely to be killed than men of the same age during the same accident. Automotive manufacturers and regulators claim developing adequate dummies to test for female safety is too expensive, too time-consuming, or isn’t needed at all. We believe the duty to care for their consumers extends to every consumer regardless of gender, age, height, weight, or any other factors.

Have you been injured in a motor vehicle accident?  Christie Farrell Lee & Bell has an experienced team of car accident attorneys who can help you explore your options.

Categories

  • Car Accidents

Related Posts

May 24
Who Pays the Damages to Dog Bite Victims?
After a dog bite attack, moreover the physical pain and emotional distress, victims are often burdened with an additional worry:...
View Article
May 23
Indiana Dog Bite Laws
The state of Indiana, much like the rest of the country, wrestles with a significant number of dog bite incidents...
View Article
May 22
What to do After a Dog Bite Attack
A peaceful walk in the neighborhood or a day in the park can take a distressing turn when an unexpected...
View Article
Christie Farrell Lee & Bell
317-488-5500

Local Office

951 N Delaware St
Indianapolis, IN 46202
Map & Directions [+]

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Firm News
  • Our Team
  • Practice Areas
  • Video Center
  • Blog
  • Site Map
  • Privacy Policy

Practice Areas

  • Truck Accidents
  • Car Accidents
  • Catastrophic Injuries
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Motorcycle Accidents
  • Premises Liability
  • Nursing Home Abuse
  • Wrongful Death
  • Product Liability

Follow Us

YouTubeLinkedInFacebookGoogle BusinessYelp

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

© 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Cleantalk Pixel