She DRIVES Act
Sponsored By: Senator Deb Fischer
In Committee
Summary
Would require modern crash-test dummies and updated tests for male and female adult occupants to better reflect real-world injuries. It would direct the Secretary of Transportation to add specified frontal and side testing devices, set injury criteria for multiple body regions, and update New Car Assessment Program procedures on set timelines.
Show full summary
- Frontal crash tests: Would require a 50th‑percentile adult male THOR and a 5th‑percentile adult female THOR. The bill directs the Secretary to set or update injury criteria for head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, upper leg, and lower leg.
- Side crash tests: Would require 50th‑percentile male and 5th‑percentile female Worldwide Harmonized Side Impact (WHD) dummies. It directs updated injury criteria and new side-impact tests for adult female front-seat occupants.
- NCAP, timing, and reports: The New Car Assessment Program must be updated to include these devices on a timeline that avoids delaying safety rules. The Secretary must submit an Initial Report within 1 year and a Follow-up Report within 5 years on timelines and foreign testing devices.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
New frontal crash tests for drivers
If enacted, the Secretary of Transportation would add two THOR frontal crash test dummies to federal rules within 15 days. A final rule would require the 50th percentile male THOR within 180 days. The 5th percentile female THOR would get a proposed rule in 60 days and a final rule in 120 days. The rules would add injury criteria for head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and legs and require frontal tests for adult female front-seat positions already tested for adult males.
New side-impact tests and ratings
If enacted, the Secretary would update the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) to use new frontal THOR devices and new side WHD devices. NCAP would require the THOR-50M and THOR-05F for frontal tests and the 50th male and 5th female WHD for side impacts. NCAP changes must be published with the matching final safety rules only if doing so does not delay those rules. This would change the crash‑test ratings consumers see for new cars and guide maker safety designs.
Reports and agency rulemaking power
If enacted, the Secretary must send an Initial Report to Congress within one year listing timelines to add new testing devices and explaining why any current device does not need updating. Five years after that Initial Report, the Secretary must send a Follow-up Report showing whether timelines were met and naming advanced foreign devices. The bill would also say nothing prevents the Secretary from adopting or updating testing devices later through other proceedings.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Deb Fischer
NE • R
Cosponsors
Patty Murray
WA • D
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Marsha Blackburn
TN • R
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Tammy Duckworth
IL • D
Sponsored 1/21/2025
Susan Collins
ME • R
Sponsored 2/3/2025
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 2/3/2025
Shelley Capito
WV • R
Sponsored 2/3/2025
Brian Schatz
HI • D
Sponsored 2/3/2025
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 2/3/2025
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Sponsored 2/3/2025
Jacky Rosen
NV • D
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Steve Daines
MT • R
Sponsored 4/7/2025
Cindy Hyde-Smith
MS • R
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Raphael Warnock
GA • D
Sponsored 3/5/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in