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U.S. Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., recently introduced the bipartisan She Develops Regulations In Vehicle Equality and Safety (She DRIVES) Act to raise vehicle crash testing standards and improve passenger vehicle safety. According to Britt’s official press release, the legislation “would modernize vehicle safety tests by requiring the use of the most advanced testing devices available—including a female crash test dummy.”
“It is past time for crash testing to reflect the full range of drivers and passengers on the road. By updating standards to include female crash test dummies, we can make cars safer for everyone and better protect our loved ones,” Britt said in an official statement. “I’m proud to join my colleagues on this commonsense legislation that will truly save lives.”
Britt’s press release emphasizes the disparity between male and female victims in car crashes, noting the findings of multiple studies which show that women die and are seriously injured at much higher rates than men in car crashes.
“According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1,300 women die every year who would have otherwise lived if female death and injury rates were comparable to that of males,” the press release continues. “This bill is estimated to save billions of dollars in economic impact from preventing and mitigating injuries and deaths.”
As of 2022, there are around 129,000 more licensed female drivers in Alabama than licensed male drivers. While men are more likely to be involved in car crashes than women, women are more likely than men to be killed or injured in crashes of a similar severity.
“A Government Accountability Office report outlined the deficiencies in crash testing program, and NHTSA has missed multiple self-declared deadlines on dummy deployment. While NHTSA has long acknowledged that a family of crash test dummies is needed for accurate crash tests, the agency has yet to deploy dummies or tests that represent females, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups,” Britt’s press release notes.
The She DRIVES Act passed unanimously out of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee last month. Now, the legislation will head to the Senate floor for consideration.
