 


In this week’s episode, Jennifer welcomes Susan Molinari and Beth Brooke to dive into the shocking disparities and outdated standards in the way car safety is measured for women in the United States.

They reveal that despite decades of progress, female crash test dummies are still largely absent from critical safety testing, putting women at greater risk of injury and death. They address controversial facts such like the continued use of “shrink it and pink it” dummy models, the bureaucratic inertia at NHTSA, and the international success of advanced female crash dummies in the EU and Asia, where substantial reductions in female traffic fatalities have been achieved.

Calling for bipartisan legislative action, they highlight the “She Drives Act,” and encourage listeners to bring pressure to Congress and the Department of Transportation, and challenge listeners to take activism into their own hands by educating themselves and demanding accountability from policymakers and automakers.

Susan Molinari is a former U.S. congresswoman and Google VP of public policy, renowned for her commitment to public service and policy innovation. Beth Brooke is the former EY Global Vice Chair and has been recognized as one of Forbes’ World's 100 Most Powerful Women. Her global leadership and dedication to equity are widely celebrated. Together, they have spearheaded a movement aimed at transforming government standards around vehicle safety for women, drawing on their experiences in Congress and international corporate leadership.

 

In 1970 is when the United States government first started with crash test dummies. It wasn't until 20 years later that they realized that women got in cars also. And so instead of taking all the biofidelic differences we have between men and women, they just what we call shrink it and pink it.”  ~Susan Molinari

 

This week on Political Contessa:
Female crash test dummies are absent from primary vehicle safety testing standards
The “She Drives Act” aims to mandate gender-equitable vehicle safety testing
Bureaucratic delays in rulemaking risk prolonged inequities in car safety for women
Advanced female crash test dummies are already producing results in Europe and parts of Asia
Status quo “shrink it and pink it” dummy models fail to capture women’s biomechanical differences
Women are 73% more likely to be severely injured and 17% more likely to die in car accidents
Congressional and administrative inertia can be disrupted by grassroots advocacy and awareness
Social media activism and direct outreach to representatives are critical for legislative accountability

Connect with Susan Molinari and Beth Brooke:
Women Drive, Too website
Women Drive, Too on Instagram: @WomenDriveToo
Women Drive, Too on Facebook: @WomenDriveToo

Resources mentioned:
She Drives Act (pending bipartisan legislation) 
NHTSA crash test standards
Thor 5 advanced female crash test dummy statistics and implementation in the EU

 

Awaken Your Inner Political Contessa

 

Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of Political Contessa. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.

 

Spotify I Stitcher I Apple Podcasts I iHeart Radio I TuneIn I Google Podcasts

 

Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media. And if you’ve ever considered running for office – or know a woman who should – head over to politicalcontessa.com to grab my quick guide, Secrets from the Campaign Trail. It will show you five signs to tell you you’re ready to enter the political arena.

 

&nbsp;
 In this week&rsquo;s episode, Jennifer welcomes Susan Molinari and Beth Brooke to dive into the shocking disparities and outdated standards in the way car safety is measured for women in the United States.
They reveal that despite decades of progress, female crash test dummies are still largely absent from critical safety testing, putting women at greater risk of injury and death. They address controversial facts such like the continued use of &ldquo;shrink it and pink it&rdquo; dummy models, the bureaucratic inertia at NHTSA, and the international success of advanced female crash dummies in the EU and Asia, where substantial reductions in female traffic fatalities have been achieved.
Calling for bipartisan legislative action, they highlight the &ldquo;She Drives Act,&rdquo; and encourage listeners to bring pressure to Congress and the Department of Transportation, and challenge listeners to take activism into their own hands by educating themselves and demanding accountability from policymakers and automakers.
Susan Molinari is a former U.S. congresswoman and Google VP of public policy, renowned for her commitment to public service and policy innovation. Beth Brooke is the former EY Global Vice Chair and has been recognized as one of Forbes&rsquo; World's 100 Most Powerful Women. Her global leadership and dedication to equity are widely celebrated. Together, they have spearheaded a movement aimed at transforming government standards around vehicle safety for women, drawing on their experiences in Congress and international corporate leadership.
&nbsp;
In 1970 is when the United States government first started with crash test dummies. It wasn't until 20 years later that they realized that women got in cars also. And so instead of taking all the biofidelic differences we have between men and women, they just what we call shrink it and pink it.&rdquo;&nbsp; ~ Susan Molinari
&nbsp;
This week on Political Contessa:
<ul>
<li>Female crash test dummies are absent from primary vehicle safety testing standards</li>
<li>The &ldquo;She Drives Act&rdquo; aims to mandate gender-equitable vehicle safety testing</li>
<li>Bureaucratic delays in rulemaking risk prolonged inequities in car safety for women</li>
<li>Advanced female crash test dummies are already producing results in Europe and parts of Asia</li>
<li>Status quo &ldquo;shrink it and pink it&rdquo; dummy models fail to capture women&rsquo;s biomechanical differences</li>
<li>Women are 73% more likely to be severely injured and 17% more likely to die in car accidents</li>
<li>Congressional and administrative inertia can be disrupted by grassroots advocacy and awareness</li>
<li>Social media activism and direct outreach to representatives are critical for legislative accountability</li>
</ul>
Connect with Susan Molinari and Beth Brooke:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.womendrivetoo.com/">Women Drive, Too website</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/womendrivetoo/">Women Drive, Too on Instagram: @WomenDriveToo</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572709657009">Women Drive, Too on Facebook: @WomenDriveToo</a></li>
</ul>
Resources mentioned:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/161">She Drives Act (pending bipartisan legislation)&nbsp;</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/nhtsa-study-affirms-need-female-crash-test-dummy-approved-by-trump-administration">NHTSA crash test standards</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.humaneticsgroup.com/sites/default/files/2024-05/thor-5f_brochure_web_0524.pdf">Thor 5 advanced female crash test dummy statistics and implementation in the EU</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Awaken Your Inner Political Contessa
&nbsp;
Thanks for tuning into this week&rsquo;s episode of Political Contessa. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts.
&nbsp;
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6ImzVp6n3MBUcMBP8jsZhu">Spotify</a> I <a href="https://www.stitcher.com/s?fid=656529">Stitcher</a> I <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-contessa/id1588917810">Apple Podcasts</a> I <a href="https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1300-political-contessa-87658237/">iHeart Radio</a> I <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/Political-Contessa-p1531739/">TuneIn</a> I <a href="https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21ueWNvbnRlbnQuY29tL2QvcGxheWxpc3QvZGFlMDZlNGItMGQ0YS00YmZjLTljZGEtYWRhMjAwZmFjMjNlL2Y5ODQwODQzLWIyNjUtNDI0Mi05MWFiLWFkYWYwMGFlODZmOC9jYzc1YWM1MS1hZGU1LTQwYmEtYmY5My1hZGFmMDBiMmM5NjMvcG9kY2FzdC5yc3M%3d">Google Podcasts</a>
&nbsp;
Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media. And if you&rsquo;ve ever considered running for office &ndash; or know a woman who should &ndash; head over to <a href="http://politicalcontessa.com/">politicalcontessa.com</a> to grab my quick guide, Secrets from the Campaign Trail. It will show you five signs to tell you you&rsquo;re ready to enter the political arena.
&nbsp;

Women on the right need a safe space to discuss politics, policy, news, and ownership over the fact that it is ok to agree to disagree. It is our First Amendment right to free speech. Before we can even out the number of women in our local, state, & federal governments, we need to empower women to feel comfortable and confident discussing these and other topics.

My name is Jennifer. I’m a single mom of three girls living in Boston. I’m a lawyer with two political science degrees, and I have no problem talking politics with people who disagree with me.

I spent three years as the Chairman of the Massachusetts GOP and ran for the very liberal Boston City Council. I’m a frequent analyst on Newsmax, Fox News Radio, and Boston Media. As a Republican in a blue state, I know a few things about how to disagree agreeably.

Join me for fascinating conversations that engage and clarify every week. For more information and resources, visit Political Contessa.

Women on the right need a safe space to discuss politics, policy, news, and ownership over the fact that it is ok to agree to disagree. It is our First Amendment right to free speech. Before we can even out the number of women in our local, state, &amp; federal governments, we need to empower women to feel comfortable and confident discussing these and other topics.
My name is Jennifer. I’m a single mom of three girls living in Boston. I’m a lawyer with two political science degrees, and I have no problem talking politics with people who disagree with me.
I spent three years as the Chairman of the Massachusetts GOP and ran for the very liberal Boston City Council. I’m a frequent analyst on Newsmax, Fox News Radio, and Boston Media. As a Republican in a blue state, I know a few things about how to disagree agreeably.
Join me for fascinating conversations that engage and clarify every week. For more information and resources, visit <a href="https://www.politicalcontessa.com">Political Contessa.</a>

Women on the right need a safe space to discuss politics, policy, news, and ownership over the fact that it is ok to agree to disagree. It is our First Amendment right to free speech. Before we can even out the number of women in our local, state, & federal governments, we need to empower women to feel comfortable and confident discussing these and other topics.  My name is Jennifer. I’m a single mom of three girls living in Boston. I’m a lawyer with two political science degrees, and I have no problem talking politics with people who disagree with me.  I spent three years as the Chairman of the Massachusetts GOP and ran for the very liberal Boston City Council. I’m a frequent analyst on Newsmax, Fox News Radio, and Boston Media. As a Republican in a blue state, I know a few things about how to disagree agreeably.  Join me for fascinating conversations that engage and clarify every week. For more information and resources, visit Political Contessa.

Political Contessa

Women on the right need a safe space to discuss politics, policy and news, and ownership over the fact that it is ok to agree to disagree. It is our First Amendment right to free speech.

Before we can even out the number of women in our local, state, & federal governments, we need to empower women to feel comfortable and confident discussing these and other topics.

I’m Jennifer. I’m a single mom of 3 girls living in Boston. I’m a lawyer with 2 political science degrees and I have NO problem talking politics with people who disagree with me.

I spent 3 years as the Chairman of the Massachusetts GOP and ran for the very liberal Boston City Council. I’m a frequent analyst on Newsmax, Fox News Radio, and Boston media. And as a Republican in a blue state, I know a few things about how to disagree agreeably.

Join me for fascinating conversations that engage and clarify every week and for more information and resources visit Political Contessa.

Women on the right need a safe space to discuss politics, policy and news, and ownership over the fact that it is ok to agree to disagree. It is our First Amendment right to free speech.
Before we can even out the number of women in our local, state, &amp; federal governments, we need to empower women to feel comfortable and confident discussing these and other topics.
I&rsquo;m Jennifer. I&rsquo;m a single mom of 3 girls living in Boston. I&rsquo;m a lawyer with 2 political science degrees and I have NO problem talking politics with people who disagree with me.
I spent 3 years as the Chairman of the Massachusetts GOP and ran for the very liberal Boston City Council. I&rsquo;m a frequent analyst on Newsmax, Fox News Radio, and Boston media. And as a Republican in a blue state, I know a few things about how to disagree agreeably.
Join me for fascinating conversations that engage and clarify every week and for more information and resources visit <a href="https://www.politicalcontessa.com">Political Contessa.</a>