As Drivers Get Fatter, So Do Crash Dummies

Americans are getting fatter — and so are the crash test dummies used to test the cars they drive. Humanetics of Plymouth, Mich., has introduced a new obese dummy to reflect Americans’ growing size. The 273-pound dummy — officially called an anthropomorphic test device — is 106 pounds heavier than the traditional model, reflecting public health trends. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34.9% of American adults — an estimated 78.6 million people — are obese, and Humanetics President and CEO Chris O’Connor explained that how they fit in the seat, how their different centers of gravity could translate into car crash injuries, and how seat belts and air bags work on them are different enough to warrant a new dummy body type.