OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
3:45 PM – Thursday, November 20, 2025
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has unveiled the first advanced female crash test dummy to address women’s higher injury rate from car accidents.
On Thursday, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy unveiled the design for the “THOR-05F,” described as a first-of-its-kind advanced female crash test dummy.
The new THOR-05F model exemplifies the administration’s “commitment to protecting women” and supports its “stance on two sexes,” he emphasized.
The model incorporates the clear biological differences between male and female anatomy, such as pelvic structure and neck strength, to improve crash testing accuracy — addressing higher injury rates for women in certain scenarios.
The development also aligns with the Trump administration’s values. On his first day back in office this year, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) “restoring biological truth to the federal government,” making his administration’s position clear.
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“My Administration will defend women’s rights and protect freedom of conscience by using clear and accurate language and policies that recognize women are biologically female, and men are biologically male,” the EO read.
The former Hybrid III dummy had been used in crash testing for about 45 years — dating back to the 1970s — yet it still failed to account properly for the biological differences between men and women. The former standard dummy also weighs 108 pounds and measures only 4 feet and 11 inches tall.
The department included in its press release statement a document comparing the Hybrid III to the new THOR model, which includes 150 new sensors to detect risks.
In addition to addressing the sexes’ biological differences, the new model now assesses the risk of brain injury and facial fractures, as opposed to only skull fractures. The knees also have an improved range of motion, with sensors added to the thighs, knees, and shins.
Chris O’Connor, CEO of Humanetics, the company that manufactured the new dummy, told the press that female drivers typically have a nearly 80% higher risk of injuries in their legs compared to men.
The spine and neck are no longer constructed to be rigid, but they can sit with different postures like humans. Additionally, there are new sensors in the abdomen and pelvis that can assess risks to internal organs and forces from the seat belt and buckle.
Lastly, the ribcage and shoulders are more “anatomically accurate for females.”
“The Left doesn’t want to hear it, but the science is clear: there are only two sexes – male and female. That biological fact isn’t just a talking point – it’s an important safety consideration when designing cars,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “After years of delays, our team has worked hard over the last eight months to finalize the details for this new, state of the art female crash test dummy. Under the leadership of President Trump, this Department will continue to put the safety of American families – including women – first.”
National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator (NHTAS) Jonathan Morrison stated, “Safety drives everything we do at NHTSA. Better understanding the unique ways in which women are impacted differently in crashes than men is essential to reducing traffic fatalities. This is a long overdue step toward the full adoption of this new dummy for use in our safety ratings and Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.”
Regarding the four-and-a-half-decade-long wait for a more accurate female dummy, Morrison noted: “While I’m the first to acknowledge that this took far longer than anyone would like, it was very important to make sure that we got this right.”
A 2019 study from the University of Virginia’s Center for Applied Biomechanics found that women are 73% more likely to be seriously injured in a head-on car crash compared to men in the same type of accident. Female drivers and front-seat passengers are also at a higher fatality risk than their male counterparts, according to a study conducted by the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
The NHTSA will soon publish five technical documents detailing the specifications and performance of the new dummy, paving the way for the THOR-05F to be formally adopted in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards compliance testing.
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