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Journal of Science Policy & Governance | Volume 18, Issue 04 | September 27, 2021

Policy Memo Competition Third Place Winner (Tie)

Policy Memo: Motor Vehicle Crash Testing Regulations for More Inclusive Populations

Hannah E. Frye (1,5)*, Daphne Ko (2,4,5)*, Emilee N. Kotnik (3,4,5)*, Nathan Zelt (4,5)*
  1. Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Anesthesiology, St. Louis, MO
  2. Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Molecular Microbiology, St. Louis, MO
  3. Washington University in St. Louis, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Louis, MO
  4. Washington University in St. Louis, Division of Biological Sciences, St. Louis, MO
  5. Washington University in St. Louis, ProSPER, St. Louis, MO
*Authors contributed equally

Corresponding author: hfrye@wustl.edu  
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https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG180410
Keywords: motor vehicle safety; sex disparities; crash test safety; diverse body types; NHTSA; crash test dummy
Executive Summary: There is a stark disparity in motor vehicle crash deaths and injuries between male and female drivers. Female drivers are 13% more likely to be killed than their male counterparts in similar motor accidents. However, vehicle safety test practices do not account for diverse body proportions when assessing safety outcomes. Vehicle crash testing standards only require testing of two variations of adult-sized crash test dummies: a 50th percentile male and a 5th percentile female. Automotive companies are not required to test safety outcomes in crash test model’s representative of average female proportions or of non-average body sizes and physiological compositions. Current crash test standards are regulated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under the US Department of Transportation. This memo proposes three actions for the NHTSA and the Department of Transportation to address disparities in vehicle safety outcomes: 1) update safety standard requirements to include a 50th percentile female crash test dummy, 2) implement a federal tax incentive program for companies to include a greater diversity of vehicle occupant models, and 3) allocate funds for research and development of virtual crash testing models. These proposed initiatives seek to raise the minimum safety requirements and prioritize wider representation of vehicle occupants to improve parity in vehicle safety outcomes.

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References

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Hannah E. Frye, Ph.D. received her doctoral degree in Neuroscience from Washington University in St. Louis in the spring of 2021. Her research studied sex differences in cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory, with a special interest in how these factors mediate opioid-associated memory. Dr. Frye served as the Policy and Advocacy Chair in 2019 – 2020 for Promoting Science Policy, Education, and Research (ProSPER) at Washington University and will continue her work in science policy as a 2022 California Council on Science & Technology Policy Fellow.
 
Daphne Ko is a Ph.D. graduate researcher in the Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis program at Washington University in St Louis. Her research centers on Cryptococcus neoformans, an opportunistic fungal pathogen. She is a member of ProSPER and is passionate about science communication.
 
Emilee N. Kotnik is a Ph.D. Candidate in the Molecular Genetics and Genomics program at Washington University in St. Louis. She studies ovarian cancer genomics and metastasis for her thesis research. Emilee has formerly served as a Regional Co-Chair for the NSPN Central Hub and as president of ProSPER.
 
Nathan Zelt is a graduate student in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics at Washington University of St. Louis where he researches the basis and evolution of membrane protein oligomerization. Nathan is also a part of ProSPER, which provides opportunities for science communication and community engagement.
 
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the National Science Policy Network and members of Washington University in St. Louis ProSPER for providing valuable input and opportunities to develop this policy memo.
 
Disclaimers
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
DISCLAIMER: The findings and conclusions published herein are solely attributed to the author and not necessarily endorsed or adopted by the Journal of Science Policy and Governance. Articles are distributed in compliance with copyright and trademark agreements.

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