Here is a quick blurb from the Humanetics website giving an introduction into the history of crash test dummies.  Be sure to check the links at the end of this section for more dettails.  Through the hundred plus year history of the automobile, safety has always been a serious concern. In fact, the fatality rate of 15.6 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in the 1930s was many times our current rate of 1.8, even though we have millions of more cars on the road today. This notable progress is due in part to manufacturers’ diligent efforts to design cars so that fewer injuries occur during accidents. Crash test dummies, like those developed and manufactured by Humanetics Innovative Solutions, play a major role in making cars safer.  Read more about the history of crash test dummies here and here.

The video below is of a sled being tested.  During the short test you will see the impact created during a 10 mph rear-end style collison.  At this point of the test, there is a weight on the sled instead of a dummy.  After meeting specific requirements it will head out to the auto industry.  Maybe our pal Smitty with BoronExtrication will give us a little insight into the next steps of engineering and how the dummies give them valuable data to make cars safer for passengers.