She DRIVES Act Mandates New Crash Test Dummies: What It Means for Vehicle Safety and Your Daily Commute

The ‘She Develops Regulations In Vehicle Equality and Safety Act,’ or the She DRIVES Act, is setting the Department of Transportation (DOT) on a fast track to overhaul how the U.S. tests vehicle safety. In short, this bill mandates that the Secretary of Transportation swiftly update federal motor vehicle safety standards to use more advanced crash test dummies that better represent the population, specifically requiring the use of the ‘THOR’ dummies for both front and side impact tests.

The Upgrade: Saying Goodbye to the Standard Male Dummy

Right now, crash testing often relies heavily on a dummy representing the average adult male. This bill changes that by requiring the adoption of two specific, modern testing devices: the 50th percentile adult male THOR dummy and the 5th percentile adult female THOR dummy. The 5th percentile female dummy represents a smaller, lighter adult, and its inclusion is a big deal because it means safety standards must now account for a wider range of body types. According to Section 3, the Secretary must issue the final rule for the male dummy within 180 days and the final rule for the female dummy within 120 days of the law passing. This is a rapid timeline for federal rulemaking.

Why This Matters for Your Ride

If you’re a smaller person, particularly a woman, the current testing standards might not be protecting you as well as they should. The She DRIVES Act directly addresses this by requiring manufacturers to test for adult female occupants in all front seat positions currently tested for adult males. This isn’t just about putting a new dummy in the car; Section 3 mandates that the Secretary update injury criteria—covering the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and legs—based on real-world injuries for both front and side impacts. This means the tests will be designed to prevent the types of injuries people are actually getting in crashes, making your next car purchase potentially much safer.

The Timeline for Impact

While the front impact rules have aggressive deadlines (under 6 months), the side impact updates are also tightly scheduled. Section 3 requires the Secretary to propose side impact rules within two years and issue the final rule requiring the use of new side impact dummies within 30 months. These new dummies, including the 50th percentile adult male and 5th percentile adult female Worldwide Harmonized Side Impact Dummies, will be incorporated into the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) testing procedures, which is the system that gives cars their star safety ratings. For manufacturers, this means significant retooling and retesting to meet these new standards, likely increasing compliance costs, but the payoff is better protection for all occupants.

Keeping Up with the World

The bill also includes a mechanism to ensure the U.S. doesn’t fall behind international safety standards. Section 4 requires the Secretary to create a ‘Testing devices roadmap.’ Within one year, the DOT must report to Congress on two things: timelines for adopting new testing devices currently under research, and whether other countries are using more advanced testing devices (like those in the European New Car Assessment Programme). If the Secretary decides the current U.S. devices are fine, they must provide a detailed explanation. This roadmap ensures the U.S. safety standards are continually reviewed and updated, meaning the safety tech in your car should keep pace with the best available globally.