Democratic Women’s Caucus Urges the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to Reduce Women’s Injuries in Traffic Accidents
CONTACT:
Lizzie Johnson, (202)-590-6073, lizzie.johnson@mail.house.gov (DWC)
October 2, 2024
Today, Wednesday, October 2, the Democratic Women’s Caucus, in a letter led by DWC Chair Lois Frankel (FL-22) and Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and signed by 54 DWC members, urged Administrator of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Sophie Shulman, to begin using an upgraded female crash test dummy in the same capacity and regularity as the other crash test dummies in an effort to reduce women’s injuries in automobile accidents.
NHTSA’s research has shown, women have a 73% greater chance of being seriously injured in a car crash, and their chance of fatality is 17% higher than men. The research also reported that using crash test dummies that accurately reflect women’s bodies strategically in safety tests, such as in the driver’s seat for frontal and side barrier crash tests, has successfully resulted in improved safety outcomes. The DWC letter calls for increased use of these female crash test dummies to improve safety and data improvements. Today’s letter follows a letter DWC sent to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg regarding this issue in February 2022, after which NHTSA committed to significant upgrades to its New Car Assessment Program.
“Research shows that women are at a much higher risk than men of being seriously injured or killed in an automobile accident,” said DWC Chair Lois Frankel (FL-22) “By using an upgraded female crash test dummy in the same capacity and regularity as the other crash test dummies we can reduce harm and save lives”
“According to recent data, women are 73% more likely than men to be seriously injured in a car crash. I am thankful to NHTSA and the Department of Transportation for the work they have done so far to address this disparity, but it’s far past time for us to prioritize women’s safety on the road by ensuring that the most accurate and advanced crash test dummies are in use,” said Rep. Chellie Pingree (ME-01).
Read the full letter HERE.
In addition to DWC Chair Lois Frankel and Rep. Chellie Pingree, the letter was signed by: Representatives Terri A. Sewell, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Grace Meng, Katie Porter, Haley M. Stevens, Debbie Dingell, Ann McLane Kuster, Barbara Lee, Marcy Kaptur, Nydia M. Velázquez, Kathy Castor, Yadira Caraveo, M.D., Nikema Williams, Frederica S. Wilson, Chrissy Houlahan, Lori Trahan, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Melanie Stansbury, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Suzanne Bonamici, Julia Brownley, Norma J. Torres, Jill Tokuda, Summer L. Lee, Brittany Petersen, Shontel M. Brown, Suzan K. DelBene, Joyce Beatty, Gwen S. Moore, Val Hoyle, Jennifer L. McClellan, Linda T. Sánchez, Lizzie Fletcher, Sylvia R. Garcia, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Kathy Manning, Madeleine Dean, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Hillary J. Scholten, Judy Chu, Susan Wild, Jennifer Wexton, Sara Jacobs, Delia C. Ramirez, Robin L. Kelly, Veronica Escobar, Betty McCollum, Mary Gay Scanlon, Andrea Salinas, Dina Titus, LaMonica McIver, and Marilyn Strickland.