The Wall Street Journal reports that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced it will petition the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding stronger regulations for underride guards on semi-truck trailers.
Underride guards are the metal frames that hang below a large truck’s rear end and are designed to protect occupants of motor vehicles by preventing vehicles from sliding beneath trucks when a rear-end collision occurs. Underride guards, often referred to as underriders, are required to be on the back of most large trucks in the U.S. However, according to the IIHS, these guards are not sturdy enough to endure the impact of an average accident. The IIHS also believes that the federal rules that govern the use of underride guards are not strict enough.
The current standard regarding underride guards was instituted in 1998 and was intended to prohibit vehicles from going underneath trucks in the event of a rear-impact accident. However, testing proved that underride guards can fail at accident speeds as low as 35 miles per hour. Car occupants are at risk when a vehicle strikes the back of a truck, as this puts the vehicle’s windshield at the main point of impact. In such instances, even vehicles that have high safety ratings in crash tests offer occupants little protection, according to the IIHS, as the upper part of the motor vehicle’s occupant compartment is prone to crush due to the truck body intruding into the vehicle’s safety cage.
Since the 1970s, there has been debate over the underride standards for trucks in the U.S. As early as 1976, crash testing by the IIHS showed problems with the strength deficiency of underride guards. Still, even today many large trucks are not covered by underride guard standards and some trucks are not required to have the guards at all.
At Panish Shea & Boyle LLP, our Los Angeles truck accident attorneys have successfully represented clients across the nation in cases that involve large commercial trucks. We have accident investigators and reconstruction experts we can readily dispatch to assist any of our clients who have been injured in a collision with a truck. Our legal team can work to determine whether your accident was caused by a vehicle defect, truck driver negligence or another factor. To learn more about how we can protect your rights, call 1-877-800-1700 today for a free consultation.
