The present paper describes an analysis regarding effects of the theoretical vehicle pulses optimized for an anthropomorphic test device (ATD) on the human body during frontal crashes. In previous studies, the authors derived theoretical pulses using a transfer function of a one‐dimensional model. The effectiveness of those pulses had successfully been validated on ATD by a multi‐body simulation and an experiment. However, it had not been examined as to whether or not the optimal pulses are effective on the human body as well. In the present study, the authors applied the theoretical optimal pulse and rectilinear pulse to human and ATD finite element (FE) models. The human FE models used represent the property of 50th percentile American males aged 35 and 75 years old (Y/O). The thoracic response of those models was analyzed. When applying the theoretical pulses to the human models, the thoracic deflection indicated linear increase along the time axis after onset. The human model aged 75 Y/O indicated larger deflection than the model aged 35 Y/O due to plastic deformation of the rib cage. The results indicated that the thoracic deflection is sensitive to the duration of the applied pulse in the human models.