The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) just released its latest crash test studies involving big rigs and cars, and its report “… demonstrates that underride guards on tractor-trailers can fail in relatively low-speed crashes — with deadly consequences.” (Watch the great video that the IIHS has provided to go along with its research results here.)
What are these underride guards? They protect the vehicle that rear-ends a big rig. In these accidents, the car slams into the tractor trailer truck, or semi, and without proper protection (the guard) the top of the car (passenger vehicle) gets slammed up against the truck’s rear, crushing the roof and killing or seriously injuring those who were riding in the front seat of the car. From the release:
“Cars’ front-end structures are designed to manage a tremendous amount of crash energy in a way that minimizes injuries for their occupants,” says Adrian Lund, Institute president. “Hitting the back of a large truck is a game changer. You might be riding in a vehicle that earns top marks in frontal crash tests, but if the truck’s underride guard fails — or isn’t there at all — your chances of walking away from even a relatively low-speed crash aren’t good.”
Result: The IIHS is petitioning the federal government to create new laws that will mandate stronger underride guards to be placed on commercial trucks, ones that will remain in place during a crash. (Read the petition here.)
