UBC Course Addresses Gender Gap in Safety Equipment Design
A new undergraduate course at the University of British Columbia is taking aim at a critical issue in safety engineering: the gender gap that leaves women less protected in everyday safety equipment. From seatbelts to bike helmets, much of the protective gear people rely on daily was originally designed with men in mind, creating significant disparities in effectiveness for women.
Teaching Inclusive Injury Biomechanics
The course examines injury biomechanics through a more inclusive lens, exploring how injuries affect women differently and how biological differences between men and women impact safety design. This includes critical analysis of vehicle safety systems like seatbelts and airbags, as well as other protective equipment that has historically been optimized for male physiology.
"Women are half the species, and there is a lack of equity in safety equipment in the sense that a lot of them don't work as well for women as it does for men," explained Dr. Peter Cripton, a biomechanics researcher and professor at UBC's School of Biomedical Engineering who teaches the course.
The Problem with Crash-Test Dummies
One of the fundamental issues the course addresses is the historical reliance on male-centric crash-test dummies in vehicle safety development. For decades, these dummies have been modeled primarily on male bodies, typically representing the 50th and 95th percentile of male physiques based on 1970s standards.
The female dummy currently in use is based on a fifth percentile body, representing the smallest five percent of women. "This would be roughly the size of a 12-year-old child," noted Cripton, highlighting how inadequate this representation is for adult women's safety needs.
The differences extend far beyond basic anatomy. Women's vertebrae and spines are generally weaker than men's, and their ligament strength can vary depending on where they are in their menstrual cycle. "Even though we had a female crash-test dummy, it wasn't very female, if you will," Cripton explained. "It was really based on a male data set. This has left a big hole in the safety space."
Research Focus on Pregnancy and Seatbelt Safety
Cripton's research team has been working to fill this critical data gap through innovative studies. In 2023, they conducted detailed MRI scans of nine pregnant women at Vancouver General Hospital, examining how seatbelts fit at different stages of pregnancy. A second, recently completed study used laser scans of approximately 330 pregnant women at an OB-GYN clinic in Surrey.
The research confirmed a common frustration among pregnant women: Most cannot follow seatbelt positioning guidelines during late pregnancy because the growing abdomen forces the belt into incorrect and potentially unsafe positions.
"We know seatbelts are effective at preventing injuries, and we always recommend women wear seatbelts when pregnant, but it's a big challenge for contemporary seatbelts to try to restrain people in their third trimester when the abdomen is so large," Cripton emphasized.
Building Better Computational Models
Despite these findings, significant change has been slow to materialize. The research is currently focused on developing better computational models that could evaluate alternative seatbelt strategies and safety approaches. These models would account for the diverse physiological differences between men and women, including the unique challenges faced during pregnancy.
The UBC course represents an important step toward creating more equitable safety standards by educating the next generation of engineers and designers about these critical gender disparities. By incorporating this knowledge into their work, future safety professionals can help create protective equipment that serves everyone equally, regardless of gender or physiological differences.
