As Americans keep getting fatter, so, too, are crash test dummies.
The robotic-like devices are swelling from an average 167-pound dummy to a staggering 270-pound fake man.
“Studies show that obese drivers are 78% more likely to die in a car crash,” said Chris O’Connor, the head of Humanetics , the sole manufacturer of U.S. dummies, WRTV reported.
The new models will have a body mass index of 35, which is considered morbidly obese.
Crash test dummies are shown here with General Motors’ center restraint device designed to protect car occupants during a side collision.
Current seat belts and air bags aren’t designed for overweight people, O’Connor said.
“An obese person has more mass around (the) midsection and a larger rear which pushes them out of position” for seat belts, he explained.
via Crash test dummies get bigger to reflect Americans getting fatter – NY Daily News.
News 