When Safety Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

When you think of engineering, you might picture math, machines, or people in hard hats. But at its core, engineering is about designing things that protect and serve real humans. For decades, car safety tests mostly used crash test dummies based on the average male body, even though millions of drivers and passengers don’t fit that mold. That means safety features like seatbelts and airbags haven’t always worked the same way for everyone.

Recently, there’s been news about the push to include more accurate female crash test dummies in car safety testing. This shift shows how design choices can accidentally leave people out, even when the goal is safety. New tools, better data, and updated testing standards are helping engineers catch these blind spots. At the heart of this issue is a simple human question: what happens when designers assume one body represents everyone?

Your Task:
You’re going to think like an engineer who designs for real people, not just averages.

Step 1: Make the Human Connection
Think about a time when something didn’t fit or work well for you (a chair, desk, backpack, app, or tool). How did that affect your comfort, confidence, or ability to use it?

Step 2: Design Beyond the Average
Think about the phrase “average user.” For your submission, explain in 3-4 sentences why designing only for an “average” person can be limiting. Include your example in your explanation.

Example: Most scissors are designed for right-handed people, who make up the majority. This can make them awkward or frustrating for left-handed users. Left-hand scissors show how designers can create versions of a product that fit different users instead of forcing everyone to adapt.