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Motor Vehicle Crash Testing Regulations for More Inclusive Populations

Marcin Cieślak (Saper), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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

  1. Autovista Group. “Toyota to Make Its Virtual Crash Test Dummy Freely Available,” June 2020. https://autovistagroup.com/news-and-insights/toyota-make-its-virtual-crash-test-dummy-freely-available.
  2. Barry, Keith. “The Crash Test Bias: How Male-Focused Testing Puts Female Drivers at Risk.” Consumer Reports, October 2019. https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/crash-test-bias-how-male-focused-testing-puts-female-drivers-at-risk/.
  3. Bose, Dipan, Maria Segui-Gomez, and Jeff R. Crandall. “Vulnerability of Female Drivers Involved in Motor Vehicle Crashes: An Analysis of US Population at Risk.” American Journal of Public Health 101, no. 12 (December 2011): 2368–73. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2011.300275.
  4. Brumbelow, Matthew L, and Jessica S Jermakian. “Injury Risks and Crashworthiness Benefits for Females and Males: Which Differences Are Physiological?” Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, February 2021, 18.
  5. Consumer Reports. “NHTSA Crash Test 101: How Crash Worthiness Is Measured and How Crash Ratings Can Help You Choose Your next Car,” April 2014. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2011/08/crash-test-101/index.htm.
  6. Cornell Law School: Legal Information Institute. “49 CFR Part 572 - ANTHROPOMORPHIC TEST DEVICES,” n.d. https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/part-572.
  7. Gendered Innovations. “Inclusive Crash Test Dummies: Rethinking Standards and Reference Models,” n.d. https://genderedinnovations.stanford.edu/case-studies/crash.html#tabs-2.
  8. Hollowell, William T, Hampton C Gabler, Sheldon L Stucki, Stephen Summers, and James R Hackney. “REVIEW OF POTENTIAL TEST PROCEDURES FOR FMVSS NO. 208.” Office of Vehicle Safety: National Highway Safety Administration n.d.
  9. IIHS. “Fatality Facts 2019: Males and Females.” Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, March 2021. https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/males-and-females#fn3.
  10. Jehle, Dietrich, Seth Gemme, and Christopher Jehle. “Influence of Obesity on Mortality of Drivers in Severe Motor Vehicle Crashes.” The American Journal of Emergency Medicine 30, no. 1 (January 2012): 191–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2010.10.017.
  11. Kahane, Charles J. “Injury Vulnerability & Effectiveness of Occupant Protection Technologies for Older Occupants and Women.” NHTSA Technical Report. Office of Vehicle Safety: National Highway Safety Administration, May 2013. https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811766.
  12. Lavallière, Martin, Mathieu Tremblay, Frédéric Lefebvre, Maxime Billot, and Grant A. Handrigan. “Aging, Obesity, and Motor Vehicle Collisions.” Frontiers in Sustainable Cities 2 (July 14, 2020): 33. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2020.00033.
  13. Linder, Astrid, and Wanna Svedberg. “Review of Average Sized Male and Female Occupant Models in European Regulatory Safety Assessment Tests and European Laws: Gaps and Bridging Suggestions.” Accident Analysis & Prevention 127 (June 2019): 156–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2019.02.030.
  14. NHTSA. “FY21 NHTSA Budget Estimate.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2021. https://www.nhtsa.gov/document/fy2021-nhtsa-budget-estimate.
  15. NHTSA. “NHTSA’s Crash Test Dummies.” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration n.d. https://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsas-crash-test-dummies.
  16. NHTSA. “Standard No. 208,” March 1999. https://icsw.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/FMVSS/#SN208.​
  17. Putka, Sophie. “Why Are There No Crash Test Dummies That Represent Average Women?” Discover Magazine, February 16, 2021. https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/why-are-there-no-crash-test-dummies-that-represent-average-women.
  18. Toyota Motor Corporation. “Toyota Offers Free Access to THUMS Virtual Human Body Model Software.” Toyota Motor Corporation, June 16, 2020. https://global.toyota/en/newsroom/corporate/32665896.html.
  19. Viano, David C., Chantal S. Parenteau, and Mark L. Edwards. “Crash Injury Risks for Obese Occupants Using a Matched-Pair Analysis.” Traffic Injury Prevention 9, no. 1 (February 19, 2008): 59–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389580701737645.
  20. Zhu, Shankuan, Peter M. Layde, Clare E. Guse, Purushottam W. Laud, Frank Pintar, Raminder Nirula, and Stephen Hargarten. “Obesity and Risk for Death Due to Motor Vehicle Crashes.” American Journal of Public Health 96, no. 4 (April 2006): 734–39. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2004.058156

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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