DC Democrat calls for gender equality – in crash-test dummies

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The world of auto crash-test dummies is apparently male-dominated – but a Democrat in Congress is hoping to change that, according to a report.

Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, the non-voting representative of Washington, D.C., says the lack of female crash-test dummies means that vehicle collision risks for women are not adequately studied, according to the Washington Times.

Norton serves on the House Transportation subcommittee on highways and transit. She called for Congress to introduce legislation regarding her concerns.

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"Women have achieved equality on the road when it comes to driving but when it comes to safety testing to keep them safe on the road, they are nowhere near achieving equality," Norton said in a statement, according to the Times.

Eleanor Holmes Norton, District of Columbia delegate to the House of Representatives, speaks on Capitol Hill May 21, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

"Crash-test standards are incredibly antiquated and we must update these standards now, especially as more people return to their daily commute in the next few months."

Federal researchers use only male crash-test dummies, and car manufacturers face no legal requirement to use both male and female dummies, Norton’s office said, according to the Times.

Federal researchers use only male crash-test dummies, and carmakers face no legal requirement to use both male and female dummies, a Democrat's office said.

The delegate asserted that, as a consequence, women travelers were at a "higher risk of injury."

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Norton’s office claimed that male-only dummies could not adequately provide the data to show how women’s crash reactions would differ from those of men. They pointed to differences in anatomy as well as average neck strength and posture, the Times reported.

Women drivers or front-seat passengers were 17% more likely to die in a crash than men, a National Highway Safety Administration study found, according to the report.