VERITY NOW Applauds House Appropriators Pushing for Adoption of Updated Crash Test Dummies

WASHINGTON, D.C. – VERITY NOW, a leading coalition voice promoting equity in auto safety, released the following statement from Catherine McCullough, a transportation policy expert and VERITY NOW coalition member, following the passage of the United States Department of Transportation Appropriations Bill by the House Appropriations Committee explicitly calling for the adoption of updated and modern advanced anthromorphic test dummies as well as addressing gender disparities in crash testing.

"It is very encouraging to see House Appropriators understand the critical need to push NHTSA and the DOT, after nearly 15 years of research and development, to modernize the outdated crash test dummies currently used in safety ratings tests. The technology involved in the new THOR 50th and 5th dummies provide exponentially more data which leads to improved auto safety. We are also thrilled to see legislators continue the push for gender equity in front crash test ratings, by including both male and female drivers in the tests.” stated McCullough.

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About VERITY NOW

VERITY NOW (Vehicle Equity Rules in Transportation) strives to achieve equity in vehicle safety by educating and advocating for crash testing standards that protect everybody, regardless of gender, height, weight, or age.

Inherent biases in crash testing put women, young people, the elderly, and heavier body types at significantly higher risk of injury or death in car crashes. This is unacceptable. Updates need to be made to vehicle crash testing standards and practices to understand better the safety needs of a broader range of body types. VERITY NOW is a group of organizations and individuals who share a common concern about these inequities and work with policymakers to implement change to save lives.