Trump’s Transportation department unveils first-ever female crash test dummy
Car crash tests used iterations of the Hybrid III dummy for decades. NHTSA
The Transportation Department unveiled a “first-of-its-kind” advanced female crash test dummy, designed to improve vehicle safety standards by addressing the higher injury risk women face in certain car accidents.
Called the THOR-05F, the dummy incorporates new sensors in the arms, abdomen, and pelvis, and more accurately simulates impacts to the face, neck, and spine. The design is intended to reflect biological differences between men and women in crash scenarios.
“Science shows there are biological differences between males and females, and this is an important safety consideration,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement. DOT officials emphasized that the new female dummy was developed in line with President Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order on recognizing the biological differences between the sexes.
“That fact isn’t just a talking point – it directly affects safety when designing cars,” Duffy added. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department will continue to prioritize the safety of all American families, including women.”
Advocates for female crash dummies have long pushed for their inclusion. Regulators have discussed developing a female THOR model since the 1980s. Duffy’s predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, requested $20 million from Congress to fund female crash dummy development, and the first Trump administration also explored the idea.
Women represent nearly half of U.S. drivers, yet biological differences make them 73% more likely to be injured and 17% more likely to die in a car crash than men, according to one study. Male fatalities remain higher overall, largely because men are involved in crashes more frequently, often linked to riskier driving behaviors. In 2023, 29,584 men died in car crashes compared with 11,229 women, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
On average, women are 5.4 inches shorter and 27 pounds lighter than men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Until now, frontal crash testing primarily used male dummies, notably the Hybrid III, introduced in the mid-1970s.
Soon, automakers will be required to include female dummies in crash tests.
“Understanding how crashes affect women differently than men is essential to reducing traffic fatalities,” said National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Jonathan Morrison. “This is a long-overdue step toward fully incorporating this new dummy into safety ratings and federal vehicle safety standards.”
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