A New Chapter for Road Safety
Before sunrise on an icy Bismarck morning, most of us trust seat belts and airbags to do their quiet work. That promise could soon get stronger for many drivers: researchers and regulators are rolling out more biofidelic female crash test dummies designed to reflect women’s anatomy and posture, according to the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) VTI and NHTSA.
The shift is notable because U.S. standards have long centered on a midsize male model; the new female designs aim to capture differences in torso shape, muscle and ligament behavior, and seating position that affect injury risk, VTI says. NHTSA also notes it is evaluating advanced dummies, including small female models, for potential use in federal programs and test protocols NHTSA.
Momentum has grown as studies documented gaps in protection for women and smaller occupants and as testing programs evolved. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently updated its moderate overlap front crash test to focus on second-row safety using a small female-sized dummy, pressuring automakers to improve rear-seat protection, according to an IIHS briefing IIHS.
The Demand for Gender-Inclusive Safety
For decades, the workhorse of crash testing has been the Hybrid III 50th-percentile male dummy introduced in the 1970s, with a 5th-percentile female dummy added later but largely derived by scaling down the male model, NHTSA explains NHTSA. Researchers have argued that a scaled-down male does not adequately represent women’s unique biomechanical responses in common crash types, particularly rear impacts, VTI reports VTI.
That limitation has influenced how vehicles are designed and rated. IIHS found in 2021 that women are more likely to be injured than men in certain real-world crashes, partly because they are more often in smaller vehicles and experience different crash scenarios—evidence that supports more inclusive testing fixtures and seating positions IIHS.
In Europe, VTI has led development of a mid-size female prototype for rear-impact testing, building on earlier virtual models and pointing to measurable differences in neck and torso injury mechanisms compared with male surrogates VTI. In the U.S., NHTSA has been assessing next-generation dummies such as THOR and a small female model with improved biofidelity and instrumentation for potential incorporation into federal evaluations NHTSA.
Addressing Local and National Impact
Better female-representative dummies can translate into safer seats, belts, and airbags for thousands of drivers and passengers in Bismarck—especially smaller-statured adults, teens, and older residents. North Dakota’s Vision Zero initiative emphasizes seat belt use and speed management as top protective factors, and more accurate test tools help engineers tune restraint systems for real people, according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) Vision Zero ND.
Local agencies also point residents to correct belt fit—lap belt low on the hips, shoulder belt snug across the chest—which matters more for smaller occupants and those who sit closer to the wheel in winter layers, NDDOT guidance notes Vision Zero ND. Families can access child passenger safety resources and seat-check events through regional partners such as the North Dakota Safety Council and Safe Kids coalitions North Dakota Safety Council and Safe Kids.
Nationally, as more inclusive dummies enter ratings programs, automakers face pressure to refine seat geometry, belt load limiters, airbags, and algorithms to protect a wider range of bodies. IIHS’s newer rear-seat evaluation already nudges designs in that direction, and federal consideration of advanced female models would extend that push across more vehicle categories IIHS and NHTSA.
Voices from the Field
“We have a male crash test dummy and a child dummy, but not a female one… women are not just smaller men,” said VTI research director Astrid Linder in an interview explaining why a dedicated female model is needed BBC. Her team’s prototype seeks to capture posture and soft-tissue differences that change how the body moves in crashes VTI.
IIHS says its updated tests are meant to “encourage automakers to improve rear-seat protection,” particularly for smaller occupants who may experience higher belt and chest loads in certain crashes IIHS. The institute’s protocols often influence design decisions years before federal rules change.
NHTSA reports it continues to evaluate advanced anthropomorphic test devices, including a small female configuration, to improve biofidelity and data quality across crash modes NHTSA. Locally, the North Dakota Safety Council says its training and community programs focus on proven countermeasures—seat belts, sober driving, and speed management—that will benefit from equipment and rating updates reflecting a broader range of occupants North Dakota Safety Council.
Looking Forward: Safer Roads for All
As regulators and testing programs incorporate more realistic female dummies, residents should expect safety ratings to better reflect how belts and airbags protect smaller drivers and second-row passengers. That means looking at both federal 5-Star ratings and IIHS Top Safety Pick results when comparing vehicles, especially for households with teen drivers or shorter-statured adults NHTSA Ratings and IIHS Ratings.
Challenges remain. It takes time for new dummies to be validated and written into official protocols, and automakers must re-engineer seats and restraints to meet updated targets, according to NHTSA and IIHS NHTSA and IIHS. Meanwhile, Bismarck drivers can act now: check belt fit, keep at least 10 inches from the steering wheel, and schedule a child-seat inspection through local partners Vision Zero ND and Safe Kids.
What to Watch
NHTSA’s ongoing evaluations of advanced female dummies and potential updates to federal programs could shape 2025–2026 model-year designs; watch the agency’s NCAP and rulemaking pages for milestones NHTSA. IIHS test updates will continue to reward vehicles that improve rear-seat protection for smaller occupants IIHS. Locally, monitor Vision Zero ND for crash trends and upcoming car-seat check events in the Bismarck-Mandan area Vision Zero ND.