A NEW law is set to crack down on a decades-old car safety issues, as official claim women have been “paying the price” for too long.
The bipartisan bill could significantly improve health outcomes for drivers of both sexes and reflect that “everyone is a priority”.
A new Senate bill could force automakers to improve their safety testing procedures – including with new crash test dummies[/caption]
The legislation, which is working its way through the Senate, would force automakers to change the way they safety test their vehicles before sale.
Under the She Develops Regulations In Vehicle Equality and Safety Act, led by Sen. Deb Fischer (D-NE), manufacturers would be required to use even more advanced test equipment.
This would include a female crash test dummy designed to replicate the effects of car crashes on women.
Currently, most firms use a standardized dummy that is based on the male body.
But lawmakers argue that this does not account for physical differences between the sexes and leaves women more at risk of serious injury and death.
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), one of the bill’s sponsors, said: “The fact that women are much more likely to be seriously injured in a car crash is not just alarming–but flat out unacceptable.
“Safety testing that only uses male test dummies is negligent, and women are paying the price.
“We need to rectify the status quo so that the safety of everyone is a priority.”
Car companies will also be required to adjust testing to account for variables like age and disability as well as sex.
The bill has attracted significant support from both sides of the aisle, with a list of co-sponsors including rising Democratic star Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and GOP veteran Susan Collins (R-Maine).
And the response from driver safety groups has been just as positive.
Maria Kuhn, President of Drive US Forward and constituent of Sen. Wyden, said: “Senator Wyden has always put the health and safety of Oregonians and Americans first, and the She DRIVES Act is no exception.
“As one of the most powerful voices in the U.S. Senate, his choice to co-sponsor S. 4299 is a monumental step towards ending the fatal gender-based discrimination in vehicle safety testing.
“As a car crash survivor and young woman — thank you, Senator Wyden, for helping to finally make cars safe for everybody.”
