If you have ever driven behind a truck, you may have noticed a metal rail that hangs below the chassis, perhaps with reflective markings on it. This is there to protect you from going underneath the truck.
Underride guards, as these metal bars are known are currently mandatory on the rear of trucks, but not on the sides. A proposed bill to make side underrides was introduced to Congress in 2017 but did not pass.
Not all underrides are adequate
These metal bars can deteriorate over time. The salt used to clear ice from the roads can bounce up and corrode the bars. If a driver reverses into something, that could cause serious structural damage to the bars. Truck owners must ensure someone with the appropriate knowledge checks their underride guards at regular intervals and after any impact. A weakened bar could break and fail to do its job if a car hits it.
Why are underride guards so crucial?
Think about the safety features of your car. The majority of them, such as the crumple zone and airbags are in the front. They are designed to work when the front of your car hits something. The problem is, they won’t protect you if your car goes under a truck. Because the truck is so high off the ground, your front end will slide right under and the first part of the car that will come in contact with the truck is the windscreen or roof, neither of which is designed to protect you from such impacts.
Truck crashes can be devastating and costly. If you or a loved one suffers an underride accident, determining whether the truck owner could have done more to prevent such incidents may help you get the compensation you need.