After finalizing a rule on rear impact guards on trailers and semi-trailers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is now looking at side underride guards, according to an article in The Trucker. The agency is accepting nominations for its advisory committee on underride protection and announced plans to publish an advance notice of proposed rulemaking.
Underride crashes occur when a car travels underneath the rear or the side of a truck trailer. According to the article, in 2019, 531 of the 2,132 passenger vehicle occupants killed in two-vehicle crashes involving large truck crashes died when their vehicles struck the rear of a large truck.
Critics say NHTSA’s final rule on rear guards didn’t go far enough, citing that the current standard is substantially weaker than the one used by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety said the rule is “completely inadequate” and will “make road users less safe.” A former NHTSA administrator, Joan Claybrook, called the rear-guard ruling “nothing less than regulatory malpractice.”
The NHTSA committee will be reviewing underride crash data with respect to side impact collisions. Its members will represent a broad spectrum of categories, including truck and trailer manufacturers, law enforcement, motor vehicle engineers, insurance companies, and families of underride crash victims. They will ultimately be submitting a consensus of safety recommendations to the House and Senate.
Accidents happen and are sometimes out of our control. But when negligence or error is involved and someone is hurt, discussing the accident with an attorney who is experienced in litigating truck accident cases can help secure compensation for your losses. Please reach out to us if you think you may have a case.