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New report says crash test dummies aren't diverse enough

The new report is calling out the lack of diversity in crash test dummies saying it could cost people their lives.

HOUSTON — A new government report is calling out crash test dummies for their lack of diversity.

According to the Government Accountability Office, crash test dummies do not represent enough of the American population, including women and seniors. They also said the dummies don't adequately represent all body sizes.

The report states that male dummies weigh about 171 pounds while the average man weighs 191 pounds. It also mentioned the physiological differences between men and women in the models.

The approved height and weight of crash test dummies approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is based on data that's decades old, the GAO said. Dummies first used in 1986 were designed to represent the mid-sized American man is now actually closer to the mid-sized American woman.

Because of these blind spots, the GAO said regulators have blind spots about how different body shapes and sizes are impacted in crashes and that without changes, lives are at risk.

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