SE Nebraska News

U.S. Senators Deb Fischer and Tammy Duckworth appeared on 'CBS Mornings' to discuss their bipartisan initiative, the She Develops Regulations in Vehicle Equality and Safety (She DRIVES) Act. This legislation aims to update vehicle safety tests by incorporating advanced testing devices, including a female crash test dummy, and revising U.S. crashworthiness testing procedures.

The bill was introduced in January and passed the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee in February. It is now awaiting full Senate consideration. The proposal has garnered support from Drive US Forward, Women Drive Too, and the National Safety Council.

Senator Fischer emphasized the importance of ensuring women's safety in vehicles: “Whether driving or as passengers, we want to make sure that women are safe when they get in a vehicle.” Senator Duckworth added: “We’re taking the next step. And let’s see if we can’t remedy the situation.”

Fischer further stated: “And make it safer,” while Duckworth concluded: “So that all those moms and daughters and sisters and best friends come home.”

Studies indicate that women suffer fatalities and serious injuries at higher rates than men during crashes. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1,300 women die annually who might have survived if female death rates were comparable to males.

A Government Accountability Office report highlighted deficiencies in crash testing programs, noting NHTSA's failure to meet deadlines for deploying diverse crash test dummies representing females, elderly individuals, and other vulnerable groups.