Truck industry, engineers & safety advocates comment on Truck Underride Protection for motorists, pedestrians & cyclists

The Public Comment Period is Closed now for the Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making for Underride Protection of Single Unit Trucks. I appreciate those who took the time to comment and I look forward to in-depth dialogue among these people and organizations at our Spring 2016 Underride Roundtable. You can find their published comments here: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;dct=FR+PR+N+O+SR;rpp=10;po=0;D=NHTSA-2015-0070

These include comments from:

Marianne Karth http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0018 It felt good to get my two cents worth in. I think that I was able to provide a different perspective from the other commenters–having been a survivor of the crash with 2 daughters who died due to underride and having become a passionate advocate who asks hard questions.
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0019
Aaron J. Kiefer MSME, PE http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0013
Transport and Road Safety (TARS) Research Centre http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0021
Stephen Hadley/Underride Network http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0027
City of Boston – Boston Transportation Department http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0008
City of Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0029
League of American Bicyclists http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0020
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0026
American Trucking Associations, Inc http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0017
The Association for the Work Truck Industry http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0028
Rebekah Black http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0005
Ariel Horowitz http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0025
Michelle Swanson http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0014
Philip Kreycik http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0023
Ken Carlson http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0024
David Read http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0009
Anonymous http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0015
Anonymous http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0006

With funds which we raise for underride research, we are hoping to cover the costs of the crash test for the innovative combined side & rear guard designed by this engineer, Aaron J. Kiefer MSME, PE . See his Comment: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0013

And we have been in correspondence with these two engineers in Australia who have researched solutions to deadly underride for 30 years. Transport and Road Safety (TARS) Research Centre . See their Comments: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0021 & my posts on them: https://annaleahmary.com/2015/09/australian-engineers-champion-the-cause-of-better-truck-underride- protection/

Contrast their comments to the conclusion of the NTEA: “Based on the published data and expected benefits, there is no justification for requiring rear underride guards on single unit trucks.” Maybe they ought to watch this video from Australia.

Someone in Australia was asked this question: “So last year, 249 people died on our roads. What do you think would be a more acceptable number?”

See what he answered: