Canadian Underwriter
News

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety calls for better underride guards on trucks


March 1, 2011   by Canadian Underwriter


Print this page Share

Underride guards on tractor trailers can fail in relatively low-speed crashes, increasing the risk of a smaller vehicle lodging under the truck in the event of a collision, reported the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Rear guards are the main countermeasure for reducing underride deaths and injuries when a passenger vehicle crashes into the back of a tractor trailer. In 2009, 70% of the 3,163 people who died in all large truck crashes were occupants of cars or other passenger vehicles.
Underride makes death or serious injury more likely since the upper part of the passenger vehicle’s occupant compartment typically crushes as the truck body intrudes into the vehicle’s safety cage, an IIHS release says.
“Cars’ front-end structures are designed to manage a tremendous amount of crash energy in a way that minimizes injuries for their occupants,” said IIHS president Adrian Lund. “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.”
The IIHS is petitioning the US federal government to require stronger underride guards that will remain in place during a crash and to mandate guards for more large trucks and trailers.


Print this page Share

Have your say:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*