Currently trailer manufacturers are required to have underride guards on the back of every trailer to help prevent fatal crashes. Now, a new report has been published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety which calls for consideration of mandatory underride guards on the side of trailers as well.
The IIHS did a test where a car was driven at 35 mph into the side of a trailer with just a wind skirt on it. Predictably, the car passed right through the thin fiberglass sheet and went under the trailer. The top of the car was sheared off, and the crash dummy’s head went straight into the side of the truck, which would have certainly been fatal for a real driver.
Next, they drove a car into the side of a different trailer, this time with an underride guard called the AngelWing. The car impacted the underride guard, preventing the car from going under the trailer, and potentially saving a real driver’s life.
“Our tests and research show that side underride guards have the potential to save lives,” said an IIHS executive and chief research officer according to their website. “We think a mandate for side underride guards on large trucks has merit, especially as crash deaths continue to rise on our roads.”
In 2015, 301 people were killed when cars hit a trailer from the side. While it isn’t clear how many people would have been saved by underride guards, the IIHS claims that the guards could help.
Other safety groups have spoken out in favor of requiring side underride guards. Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety called the requirement a “practical and commonsense” solution.
But not everyone thinks requiring guards would be a good thing. The American Trucking Association has issued statements against requiring side guards.
According to the ATA, the guard rails would come with some unwelcome side effects, including heavier and stiffer trailers which would be more prone to developing cracks and becoming safety hazards.
ATA spokesman Sean McNally claims that it’s the ATA’s goal to avoid crashes altogether. Since underride guards have the goal of reducing the severity of crashing instead of avoiding crashes altogether, they can be seen as a waste of safety resources.
McNally went on to praise E-Logs, automatic emergency braking, and collision avoidance systems, pointing out that they’re all examples of technology that work to avoid crashes altogether.
“It’s important to recognize that all crashes are tragedies, but we also need to recognize that these guards are collision mitigation — and not collision avoidance — equipment and ATA’s primary safety goal is to prevent crashes,” McNally said.
Source: iihs, truckinginfo, fleetowner, cbs, forbes, wpxi, prnewswire
Image Source: iihs
I can see a lot of trailers becoming high centered over RR tracks if these guards are implemented.
Why don’t they make the mid section lower to hold more freight. Lowers the center of gravity as a bonus.
Forklifts???
Why don’t they put that money into education? Teach the 4-wheelers how to drive with truck traffic. I see it every day. Nobody stops at stop signs when they see a truck coming. Everyone has the me first attitude.
How are you going to load and unload that area that you refer to?
What were you saying, I was to busy on my phone.
You can’t fix stupod
so here we go again, the insurance institute says…. here it is in a nutshell. the trucking industry pays for everything! why is it a mandatory anything for us? who pays for mandatory? the trucking company owners the truck owners or the drivers! it comes to that alone! federal highway tax fuel tax road tax a ton of tax for keeping up the roads and bridges smooth and safe for the “public” to travel on. all the money doesn’t go there “government” you could make mandatory any hair brained idea the safety institute could ever come up with and you will still not have safety on the roads! I don’t care what you say the general public needs to be more responsible driving! it is not up to the hard working people of this industry to continue to pay for everything ! the government comes up with new laws and rules and mandates for the trucking industry, and who pays.. the trucking industry. states miss use of tax money for roads and now the trucking industry pays more? B.S. people don’t receive good training when getting their drivers license, they can use hand held phones in most states still, radar detectors, most anything and are irresponsible but it is the trucking industry who is always made to pay to protect these idiots from themselves. I am just another truck driver tired of all my time money and efforts not doing anything to better the industry I chose because it all goes to the politicians, insurance companies or states. untrained motorists, with no time restrictions on their on duty and driving time. Their disregard for safety that affects my life and the lives of all the truckers out here working hard daily. I feel if the insurance institute and the government want to make road travel safer they should pay for it. they want it so pay for it. that’s what we all have to do. we want a paycheck so we work for it. much of our money goes for taxes, use that money wisely for what it should be used for and this countries roads and bridges would be great and then make it harder to get a drivers license like actually test them to see if they have skill, if not don’t issue them until they have some skill. that’s what happens to the trucking industry. then we would have safer roads,safer drivers and the insurance institute the ATA and the government wouldn’t be after the trucking industry to pay for every hair brained thought they had and wanted the truckers to pay for it.
Preach brother!! brian well said!!
Agreed 100%
Well said brother, if 4-wheels weren’t in such a hurry to or get to such and such place and actually care for others around them and themselves there wouldn’t be as many accidents. If the drivers of trucks weren’t always the ones to catch blame for everything and the drivers that actually caused the accidents there wouldn’t be as many accidents. If everyone and I mean everyone was held to the same standards truckers are held there may not be as many accidents. I can keep coming up with things to say “if” to just like the government and everyone else that makes up these crazy ass rules but one thing is certain, and thats to hold everyone thats been and will be the cause of an accident accountable then that might be the answer!!!!!!!!!!
Let me expand something in addition to you words, 306 deaths is a tragedy, but my first question would be why in the hell were these dummies driving in a perpendicular angle toward a semi?? THE whole reality of the insurance companies concern for 306 people out of 260,000,000, Lets be real folks, its their profit margin is what the are concerned with. If congress would pass a law that Corporations had to pay taxes on all of the money they spend on sponsorships, advertising and endowments, instead of using it as a tax benefit, I guarantee their attitude will change.
Just wrap everybody and everything in a bubble and people won’t have to drive safe.
HOW WOULD FORKLIFT LOAD YOU IF THEY DROPPED THE TRAILER FLOOR? THEY WOULD HVE TO CHANGE ALL WAR3HOUSE DOCKS TO ACCOMADATE NEW TRAILER DESIGN
Actually no. I have a drop frame van with air bag lifts as well as air over hydraulic jacks. Only takes a few minutes to get to dock hight. If you ever see a moving van with a lift gate they will have this type of system.
That may be, but how is a forklift going to load the nose of a reefer or dry van with the belly dropped?
Why is everything the trucker fault.
When will they start educating the four wheelers about how driving a truck and stopping so there won’t be all these accidents
If you can’t see 65-75 feet of tractor/trailer with reflective tape down the side & plow under the trailer then a.) you shouldn’t be driving or b.) you deserve to die!! When the gov’t starts testing civilian drivers requirements like they test commercial drivers requirements the accident rate WILL go down!! Just to much money changing hands @ the gov’t level!!
You are right Barney. I think that the ordinary car driver bears a certain responsibility to not kill himself with a rig too. I can’t drive for them. I already see so many morons trying to muscle my truck at on ramps, or zooming across in front of me so they can take an off ramp, or cruising alongside me, or passing me on the hard shoulder and on and on. I can’t be expected to be responsible for their deaths because someone allowed them to drive a potentially lethal machine with zero training. I did my part now train and ENFORCE their part. Too much emphasis on truckers (example the billboards advertising ambulance chasing attorneys ONLY interested in big rig accidents) not enough on car drivers.
The under guarding of trailers have nothing to do with the stupid human tricks that people do in the name of being 1st to cross multiple lanes of traffic to hit their exit or to run a light/stop sign cause they weren’t paying attention to the big picture. Ron White said it best: “You Can’t Fix Stupid.” And no matter how much money the trucking industry spends in the name of safety, there’s always gonna be some moron trying to out perform a big truck cause they’re afraid of missing that blue light special at Wally World. And what about the idiotic truck drivers that are just as stupid? What Now?
You are a totallly wrong in your reasoning. When a driver decides to make an illegal u-turn on a unlit road at night at the bottom of a hill. The vehicle driver does not have a chance. Maybe you can explain you theory to my son who was killed. I call it murder by truck.
You may call it murder by truck however I call it someone not paying attention to their surroundings and not looking at the “BIG PICTURE
” No matter if you are driving or even walking you need to pay attention.
The vehicle driver does have a chance. Maybe your son was to busy texting or talking on the phone or he was an inexperienced driver especially at night.
Agree, trucks have to watch out for the many Autos crossing 3 lanes to make the exit or crossing that median.
Plus people seem to feel that trucks can stop Quickly.
Lady, do you mean that cars can Not stop quickly ?
I am truly sorry your son was killed Laurie. However, making a u-turn on a road is NOT illegal unless it is posted as such. Your son can’t answer the question, but why did he not see the lights of the truck and start slowing down? Not knowing about this accident, I can’t and won’t say it wasn’t the truck driver’s fault. However, I can’t say your son had no part in it either.
Basically, what these guys are saying, is that we see many stupid things done by 4-wheelers that cause many accidents with trucks. The Feds recent released a study that shows that 80% of accidents involving a semi is caused by 4-wheelers.
Testing doesn’t do any good, I just went through driver orientation at a very large trucking company, one of the drivers, of which the company could not verify any real driving experience, also a “driver” that could not shift gears, had to stop and start over after each low to high rang in a 10 speed, grinding and feeling of each gear getting there. Guess what they gave thus guy a truck as a solo otr driver.
I go to places that rip the underskirts to shreds due to the slope. That’s why we stopped getting them… The same would happen to these things. We don’t live in a flat world!
Hummmmm. Let’s see. Ooooooo. Y don’t
They put automated collision avoidance devices on all cars. Not just the pricey ones. 1.5 million cars a year versus
50,000 trucks a year. Hummmm I wonder which would b more effective ??
In other words stop inventing crap that we have to pay for and just teach people how to drive .
I lost an aunt in uncle in a crash like this, uncle was driving, suffered a heart attack, and went under a truck, killing him and his wife.
How do e-logs prevent accidents?
Sorry for your loss , but your point here has nothing to do with the article .
Please pay attention, try to understand the meaning of words not just the words themselves. His point has everything to do with adding more restrictions , how does it help.
Seems to me by that photo the truck was parked. Why is it every time someone in a car screws up, the first move is to do something about the trucks or trucking industry? It’s so far out hand (and reality) no matter what is done, the accident rate will continue to rise.
It’s high time folks start being taught how to drive properly again. In this case, that simply means hey, if you see a 53 foot long trailer in front of you, DON’T KEEP GOING! DUH!! LOL
And yes, I know it was a test but, a rather stupid one there should be no need for.
The picture above was taken in a garage after the car was INTENTIONALLY run under the trailer. It was for a demonstration, not a real collision (they aren’t “accidents”).
This is about cars running under trailers. So based on all the other accidents between cars and trucks the answer is—to reduce the idiot auto drivers – Have mandatory re testing for all car drivers ( non CDL holders) every two years to the age of 35 or so. The number cruncher s would be surprised at how many do not pass the retest . One thing that can not be taxed or controlled is stupidity. I don’t see at any of these new safety ideas being pushed on trucks is how many drivers in cars are under the influence of drugs or alcohol or just inattentive? Testing, eating off a plate, watching movies on a dash unit. I would like to see these numbers instead of the lets target trucks numbers. Do they dare do that???
High centered would give boost to tow companies and repair shops. Win win right?
European trailers have had side protection for probably 40 years. Never a problem. Of course their rail tracks are level, at grade. No high centering.
Forget about RR grade crossings. There are roads all over the US that have high crowned roads that even car easily bottom out.
The cell phone makers and service companies could program the chip with a simple update that would lock out the screen when Motion is detected, it could still be used hands free, But of course that would violate someone’s rights or something stupid like that. That in it’s self would cut these type of accidents down by fifty percent.
Had a 4 wheeler the other day that was on a cell phone and went to change lanes and almost drove under me, the device would have keep them from going under but would not have stopped an accident due to stupid.
I will bet half of accident or more are due to cell phone!! Cheep fix and trucking would not have to pay more out the nose!!
And how would this chip know if you are driving or riding as a passenger? Would it shut the phone down if u take the subway to work? How bout we stop trying to regulate every aspect of our lives. Stop paying for dumb people, when someone crashes and their cell record shows usage while driving then they should get absolutely no Insurance settlement of any kind and jail time. The ones who die from their own stupidity get nothing for their family from insurance. Truck company’s pay through the nose for insurance because we get sued by dumasses all the time and lawyers milk us dry in court because if a truck driver has one little problem with logs or inspection, even if it is unrelated to and has no bearing on an accident we get screwed. The insurance companies want this stuff on trucks because they can still charge us through the nose and mitigate payout to dipshits who sue. This stupid regulation will pass because the insurance companies want it and it costs them nothing. They have the money and know what palms to grease.
Stop paying out for people when they act dangerous and claim innocence. We will continue to get screwed until we quit or die because as it stands now, we don’t stand together to ensure that regulations are practical and fair for everyone equally, truck drivers and car drivers.
MY2¢
Cell phones can not tell if the user is a passenger or driver.
Remember, that cars and buses hold more Voters than Trucks hauling freight per foot of Space.
A futile attempt to make Trucking idiot-proof
If these had been installed on the semi dump truck that changed into my lane in a construction zone I would be dead now and not reading of this wasteful requirement .
What is needed is more extensive drivers ed training for new drivers and refresher courses for those who hold a non CDL license every 4 years or so.
The DOT is so worried about cars running under trailers and straight trucks one thing they have ignored is the height of the bumpers on school buses. I have been asking about it for years and have never gotten an answer. If a school bus has make an emergency evacuation from either the back door or side door the floor is just as high as the deck in a trailer. This is little kids we are talking about. There are no ladders or chutes that inflate and a driver is expected to evacuate a school bus with 60 plus kids in under 90 seconds.
Here we go again, how about addressing the actual problem. Non CDL drivers are causing the majority of all crashes due to poor driving skills that are getting worse by the year. Vehicles that self park , auto braking systems etc. allowing drivers to not pay attention. The insurance companies need to mandate more driver training and development better driver skills. Still people talk and text not using hands free and ignore the road as all truck drivers see daily from their cabs. The fines associated to this should be the same for all very steep and reported to insurance companies giving them the go ahead to put these drivers immediately into high risk and hitting them where it hurts the wallet. Please put the blame where it belongs not add more regulations to commercial vehicles.
301 people died in a year. It’s unclear how many of those would have been saved by side rails. They want to turn an ENTIRE industry on it’s head because of 301 idiots…really?
Well, while I am not on either side of this case, Mr. McNally is certainly not an attorney. No manufacturer of “automatic emergency braking, and collision avoidance systems” would dare say they are collision avoidance systems. Fact is, they go out of their way to say these are collision mitigation systems.
Think about it for a second. They cannot guarantee crash avoidance.
Check your own vehicle owner’s manual: “collision mitigation”.
Who’s gonna pay for it the trucking companies they might if government gives them the money to do it plus its gonna add more gross weight to the truck and load 🤔
I owe my life to the side guards on a semi trailer. When my motorcycle went down on a patch of oily pavement last month in Peru and slid into oncoming traffic, it was the side rails of the trailer I hit that kept me from going under the wheels. I was injured from the impact but that’s better than being dead.