The National Transportation Safety Board, on May 16, 2019, released a Preliminary Report on the March 1, 2019, Tesla side underride fatal crash. Read it here: Highway Preliminary Report: HWY19FH008
In summary, the report says:
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues to gather information on the operation of the Tesla’s ADAS and the Tesla driver’s actions leading up to the crash. The investigation will also examine the driver of the combination vehicle, the motor carrier, highway factors, and survival factors. All aspects of the crash remain under investigation as the NTSB determines the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar crashes. The NTSB is working in partnership with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office during the investigation.
Previous posts on this website related to Tesla side underride crashes:
- July 1, 2016: Could Tesla crash fatality have been prevented if trucks were required to have #sideguards?
- January 29, 2017: Could a side guard crash test with a Tesla car silence the skeptics? #ElonMusk are you game?
- February 27, 2019: “AEB that reliably detects trucks could prevent underride crashes.” Meanwhile, what should we do?
- March 2, 2019: Another Tesla Side Underride Tragedy Points to Need for Truck Side Guard Mandate
D.C. Side Underride Crash Tests, March 26, 2019 — with and without side guards:
More D.C. crash test videos can be seen here.
The STOP Underrides! Act mandates comprehensive underride protection on all large trucks. This will make truck crashes more survivable.
As a mom of two daughters, AnnaLeah (17) and Mary (13), who died from a truck underride crash in Georgia on May 4, 2013, I know the life & death difference that strong underride guards can make (but only if they are installed on the millions of trucks on our roads) — as demonstrated by these crash test videos: The difference a well-designed rear underride guard can make and Benefits of side underride guards for semitrailers and Truck Front Underrun Protection System Crash.
People have died from truck underride for decades and will continue to do so if we do not take decisive action to make trucks safer to be around.
