From a 2009 research article, “The effect of state regulations on truck-crash fatalities.“:

“Truck-length limitations reduced fatalities in crashes involving large trucks. Our model estimates suggested that if all states had adopted a speed limit of 55 miles per hour for all vehicles in 2005, an additional 561 fatalities would have been averted.”

http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/19150907/The_effect_of_state_regulations_on_truck_crash_fatalities_

Think how much space it would take up to tell the stories of those 561 people. . .

How many people have needlessly died due to the failure of states to adopt proven traffic safety laws?

Why on earth don’t we establish National Traffic Safety Standards & require them to be adopted by States?

Related Citations:

1. Underride safety protection: benefit-cost assessment of rear-impact guards for the North Dakota farm truck fleet.  http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/19333831/Underride_safety_protection:_benefit_cost_assessment_of_rear_impact_guards_for_the_North_Dakota_farm_truck_fleet_
2. Potential benefits of underride guards in large truck side crashes.  http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/23137090/Potential_benefits_of_underride_guards_in_large_truck_side_crashes_
3. Estimating side underride fatalities using field data.  http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/24406960/Estimating_side_underride_fatalities_using_field_data_
4. Evaluation of US rear underride guard regulation for large trucks using real-world crashes. http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/21512906/Evaluation_of_US_rear_underride_guard_regulation_for_large_trucks_using_real_world_crashes_
5. A recommended specification for heavy vehicle rear underrun guards.  http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/17113017/A_recommended_specification_for_heavy_vehicle_rear_underrun_guards_
6. Biomechanics of under ride motor vehicle crashes.  http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/17487053/Biomechanics_of_under_ride_motor_vehicle_crashes_
7. [Motor vehicle accidents with entrapment. A medical and technical investigation of crash mechanism, injury pattern and severity of entrapment of motor vehicle occupants between 1983 and 2003].  http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/17180605/[Motor_vehicle_accidents_with_entrapment__A_medical_and_technical_investigation_of_crash_mechanism_injury_pattern_and_severity_of_entrapment_of_motor_vehicle_occupants_between_1983_and_2003]_
8. The facial-bone fractures among fatally injured car occupants in frontal collisions. http://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/19264531/The_facial_bone_fractures_among_fatally_injured_car_occupants_in_frontal_collisions_ & our crash injuries: http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=NHTSA-2015-0070-0018