Michigan Woman’s Legacy Could Save Thousands of Drivers on the Road

When Amanda Kish left Central Michigan University for a weekend visit home in October 2022, her family never imagined it wouldn’t make it home. The 18-year-old freshman was rear-ended on the highway, and that impact sent her car spiraling out of control.

Unfortunately, She didn’t survive the crash.

Now, Amanda’s story may help change how cars are tested, which could potentially save thousands of lives.

This month, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced new legislation that calls for more diversity in crash test dummies. It’s a long-overdue move aimed at improving vehicle safety for women and smaller-framed individuals. The bill is named “She Drives”, in Amanda’s honor.

You may not be aware of this, but Women make up more than half of licensed drivers in the U.S., but are 73% more likely to be seriously injured in a crash than men.

Worse, 17% of us are more likely to be killed, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. One big reason? Crash test dummies are still primarily modeled after the “average” man who is 5’9”, 171 pounds. And sadly, Crash test dummies haven’t significantly evolved since the 1990s.

Amanda, who stood just 5’0” and weighed 94 pounds, was seated close to the steering wheel, just like many petite drivers. Her mother, Francis Kish, believes that positioning may have contributed to her daughter’s death.

Advocates say incorporating crash test models that better reflect the variety of drivers (especially women and smaller adults) could finally close a deadly safety gap.

Others argue that future improvements may come from virtual testing models that simulate a wide range of body types and crash scenarios more precisely than current dummies.

Still, for Amanda’s mother, the goal is simple: to make sure no other family has to live through the heartbreak she carries every day.

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And if Amanda’s legacy sparks a new era of auto safety that saves even one life, it's worth it.