The Sexist Problem With Crash Test Dummies Putting Women at Risk
Key Takeaways:
- International aviation safety testing uses only male crash test dummies
- Women face higher injury risks in car crashes due to male-centric testing
- First accurate female dummy created just three years ago – but not legally required
When you board a flight and hear brace position instructions, you’re receiving safety guidance tested exclusively on male crash test dummies. The same male-centric approach dominates automotive safety testing worldwide, putting women at significantly higher risk of injury.
As a former airline pilot researching aviation safety, I’ve discovered how little real-world testing protects women in air and road travel.
The Problem With Crash Test Dummies
Crash test dummies, called “anthropomorphic test devices,” originated in 1949 military research before automotive adoption in the 1960s. The most common test dummy remains the Hybrid III “average” man: 175cm tall, 78kg, created in 1976.
This male standard is embedded in US safety regulations. While automotive testing includes a “small female” dummy for about 25% of tests, it doesn’t represent average biological females.
The widely used Hybrid HIII-5F “female” dummy stands just 149cm tall and weighs 48kg – resembling a 12-year-old girl. It’s essentially a scaled-down male dummy with plastic breasts added.
Only three years ago, Swedish engineer Astrid Linder’s team unveiled the first properly proportioned average female dummy (162cm, 62kg). However, using this accurate female model isn’t legally required for car or plane testing.
Women’s Higher Injury Risks in Cars
Women face greater serious injury risks in car crashes, even at low speeds. Different limb proportions mean women sit closer to steering wheels when driving.
In crashes, women are often mislabeled “out of position drivers” when the real issue is male-based vehicle design. Some protection systems tested on male dummies actually increase injury severity for women while protecting men better.
Aviation’s Male-Only Testing Standard
Aircraft certification – including seat design, seat belts, and brace positions – relies solely on “average” male dummies like the aviation-modified Hybrid III.
Major manufacturers Boeing and Airbus certify planes through US and European agencies that follow international SAE International standards. Countries like Australia depend on these global certifications rather than conducting independent tests.
Missing Research on Women’s Aviation Safety
US emergency landing testing regulations explicitly require male dummies with no female counterpart mandate. Despite evidence of different injury patterns in car crashes, no publicly accessible research examines how male-centric testing affects female airline passengers and crew.
About the authorNatasha Heap is the Program Director for the Bachelor of Aviation at University of Southern Queensland. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Biological Differences Matter in Safety
Women aren’t simply smaller men. UK car crash research shows men have 8% greater skeletal mass and different body mass distribution. Women typically have smaller height and shoulder width but larger hip circumference.
Female sex hormones create more flexible ligaments affecting joint stability. These physiological differences significantly impact safety outcomes and must inform future aircraft and automotive testing.
One safety design definitely doesn’t fit all when half the population faces higher risks due to outdated testing methods.
