The U.S. government has released a new crash test dummy design that advocates believe will help make cars safer for women. The Department of Transportation says it will consider using the dummy in the government’s five-star safety ratings once a final rule is adopted. Women are 73% more likely than men to be injured in a head-on crash, and 17% more likely than men to be killed in a car crash.

The new female dummy endorsed by the department more accurately reflects differences between men and women, including the shape of the neck, collarbone, pelvis, and legs. It’s outfitted with more than 150 sensors, the department said.

The existing female dummy is a smaller version of the male model. It’s routinely tested in the passenger seat or the back seat but seldom in the driver’s seat, even though the majority of licensed drivers are women.

Babies who drank ByHeart formula got sick months before botulism outbreak, parents say

At least five families say their babies were treated for infant botulism after consuming ByHeart formula months before a current outbreak was detected. More than 30 babies have been treated for the rare and life-threatening disease in an outbreak that started in August. But parents have reported that babies who drank the formula may have been sickened as early as December 2024. Federal health officials are aware of earlier cases but have not included them or expanded the definition of the outbreak. ByHeart recalled all of its products nationwide on Nov. 11.