Monthly Archives: July 2023

In Memory of Manuel Alejandro Gonzalez (July 30, 2023)

Manuel Alejandro Gonzalez, a 34-year-old resident of Chaparral, New Mexico, was killed after his Ford Raptor traveling at a high speed ran a red light at the intersection.

Gonzalez’s passenger Melissa Tristan, a 36-year-old Socorro resident, was injured in the crash.

Police say that a 2023 Purple Kenworthy, driven by El Pasoan Esteban Rios, 51, and a Silver Mac LTT tanker truck were on the northbound lanes of the Gateway making a left turn when Gonzalez entered the intersection heading east on Kenworthy and crashed into the tanker. High-speed crash on Gateway and Kenworthy claims life of Chaparral man, injures Socorro resident

Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —frontside, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

Manuel Alejandro Gonzalez, Precious One Gone Too Soon

See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)

How You Can Help

Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.

Please sign this petitionSecretary Pete, It’s Past Time To End Death By Underride!

Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what could potentially be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.

We are asking that people send us crash reports for collisions with trucks which they suspect involved underride. Send them to marianne@annaleahmary.com. We will submit these as complaints to USDOT. Read more here: Launching a Campaign To Flood NHTSA With Underride Complaint Reports.

In Memory of William Denny & Frankie Armstrong (July 27, 2023)

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said 67-year-old William L. Denny, of Alexander City, and 59-year-old Frankie E.W. Armstrong, of Titus, were fatally injured when the 2008 Honda Accord that Denny was driving collided head-on with the 2018 Western Star tractor-trailer. Two killed, one injured in crash involving tractor trailer in Coosa County

Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —frontside, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

William Denny & Frankie Armstrong, Precious Ones Gone Too Soon

See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)

How You Can Help

Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.

Please sign this petitionSecretary Pete, It’s Past Time To End Death By Underride!

Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what could potentially be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.

We are asking that people send us crash reports for collisions with trucks which they suspect involved underride. Send them to marianne@annaleahmary.com. We will submit these as complaints to USDOT. Read more here: Launching a Campaign To Flood NHTSA With Underride Complaint Reports.

In Memory of Will Ensley (July 26, 2023)

In an email sent to Shawnee Mission Northwest families, principal Lisa Gruman said incoming senior Will Ensley was killed in the crash. . .

Ensley was killed Wednesday morning in a crash on southbound Metcalf Avenue near 115th Street when a dump truck plowed into nine cars stopped at a red light. Ensley’s vehicle was struck first, according to police. Incoming Shawnee Mission Northwest senior identified as victim of dump truck crash

Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —frontside, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

Will Ensley, Precious One Gone Too Soon

See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)

How You Can Help

Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.

Please sign this petitionSecretary Pete, It’s Past Time To End Death By Underride!

Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what could potentially be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.

We are asking that people send us crash reports for collisions with trucks which they suspect involved underride. Send them to marianne@annaleahmary.com. We will submit these as complaints to USDOT. Read more here: Launching a Campaign To Flood NHTSA With Underride Complaint Reports.

In Memory of Sharon Morris (July 25, 2023)

According to state police, a 2022 Hyundai Sport, driven by Johnny E. Morris, 47, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, rear-ended a tractor-trailer while speeding. Morris was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver’s mother, Sharon Morris, 63, also of Fayetteville, was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time of the crash. VSP said she was taken to VCU Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries. 63-year-old North Carolina mother killed in tractor-trailer crash on I-95 in Hanover County

Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —frontside, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

Sharon Morris, Precious One Gone Too Soon

See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)

How You Can Help

Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.

Please sign this petitionSecretary Pete, It’s Past Time To End Death By Underride!

Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what could potentially be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.

We are asking that people send us crash reports for collisions with trucks which they suspect involved underride. Send them to marianne@annaleahmary.com. We will submit these as complaints to USDOT. Read more here: Launching a Campaign To Flood NHTSA With Underride Complaint Reports.

In Memory of Evan Dennison (July 23, 2023)

Evan Dennison, of Berryville, was driving a vehicle that struck the back of a tractor-trailer on Interstate 78 in Weisenberg Township, on Sunday, July 23, Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio said. Deadly Tractor-Trailer Crash Shuts Part Of I-78 In PA

Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —frontside, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

Evan Dennison, Precious One Gone Too Soon

See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)

How You Can Help

Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.

Please sign this petitionSecretary Pete, It’s Past Time To End Death By Underride!

Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what could potentially be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.

We are asking that people send us crash reports for collisions with trucks which they suspect involved underride. Send them to marianne@annaleahmary.com. We will submit these as complaints to USDOT. Read more here: Launching a Campaign To Flood NHTSA With Underride Complaint Reports.

In Memory of Luis Castaneda (July 22, 2023)

Luis Castaneda, 34 of Amarillo, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash that was reported around 3:45 a.m. on State High 349 about a mile north of Midland, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Investigators believe Castaneda was driving a 2022 Ford F-150 west on SH 349. A 2012 Peterbilt tractor-trailer was eastbound on SH 349 when, for an unknown reason, the pickup traveled into the eastbound lane and collided with the tractor-trailer. Amarillo man killed in crash involving pickup, tractor-trailer near Midland

Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —frontside, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

Luis Castaneda, Precious One Gone Too Soon

See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)

How You Can Help

Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.

Please sign this petitionSecretary Pete, It’s Past Time To End Death By Underride!

Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what could potentially be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.

We are asking that people send us crash reports for collisions with trucks which they suspect involved underride. Send them to marianne@annaleahmary.com. We will submit these as complaints to USDOT. Read more here: Launching a Campaign To Flood NHTSA With Underride Complaint Reports.

In Memory of Abby Brock (July 23, 2023)

Police say the crash involved a 2011 Ford F-150 and a 2009 Mack semi-truck. The driver of the F-150 was traveling south on U.S. 119 when she crossed the center line and her vehicle struck the semi head on.

The Harlan County coroner was called and pronounced a 59-year-old woman dead at the scene.

Kentucky State Police 10 PAO Trooper Shane Jacobs told WYMT the woman is Abby Brock, of Coldiron. Update: Police identify woman killed in Harlan County crash

Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —frontside, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

Abby Brock, Precious One Gone Too Soon

See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)

How You Can Help

Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.

Please sign this petitionSecretary Pete, It’s Past Time To End Death By Underride!

Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what could potentially be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.

We are asking that people send us crash reports for collisions with trucks which they suspect involved underride. Send them to marianne@annaleahmary.com. We will submit these as complaints to USDOT. Read more here: Launching a Campaign To Flood NHTSA With Underride Complaint Reports.

In Memory of Mary Cooper, Janet Carter, Koolasha Green (July 21, 2023)

According to preliminary investigation, an 18-wheeler failed to yield the right-of-way to a 2013 Toyota Highlander which went under the trailer of the 18-wheeler.

DPS confirmed the deceased as 48-year old Mary K Cooper, of Hugo, OK, 61-year old Janet K Carter, of Durant, OK, 18-year old Koolasha U Green, of Hugo, OK, and a 16-year old male of Hugo, OK.

All occupants were wearing seatbelts. DPS releases details, names of deceased in vehicle wreck involving 18-wheeler on Friday

Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —frontside, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

Mary Cooper, Janet Carter, Koolasha Green, Precious Ones Gone Too Soon

See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)

How You Can Help

Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.

Please sign this petitionSecretary Pete, It’s Past Time To End Death By Underride!

Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what could potentially be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.

We are asking that people send us crash reports for collisions with trucks which they suspect involved underride. Send them to marianne@annaleahmary.com. We will submit these as complaints to USDOT. Read more here: Launching a Campaign To Flood NHTSA With Underride Complaint Reports.

Public Comments on the Side Guard ANPRM (Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking)

NHTSA closed the Public Comment Period on the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for side underride guards on July 20, 2023. NHTSA asked commenters to respond to these nine questions. Here’s where the comments are posted: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Side Underride Guards. To make it easier to read through the thousands of comments, I’m providing pdfs and/or links to many of them — although it’s not an exhaustive compilation.

Links to Many of the Public Comments on the Side Guard ANPRM

Public Comments on the Side Guard ANPRM – As of June 16, 2023 (119)

The majority of comments (over 1,000) posted from June 16 through June 23 were from individuals and organizations which support the requests in the Public Comment from the League of American Bicyclists – calling for pedestrians and bicyclists to be included in the data for side guard regulatory analysis. (Motorcyclists are vulnerable to underride as well.)

Some-of-the-Public-Comments-on-the-Side-Guard-ANPRM-June-24-July-22-2023.pdf

The Following are Links to Individual Public Comments (which were submitted as or with attachments):

Eric Hein

Institute for Safer Trucking IST-Comment-on-Side-Underride-PC-Final.pdf

Truck Safety Coalition TSC-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Perry Ponder/Seven Hills Engineering

Wabash National (Trailer Manufacturer) Wabash-comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Werner Enterprises Wermer-Enterprises-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Safety Research & Strategies Safety-Research-Strategies-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

National Waste & Recycling Association Waste-and-Recycling-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Lois Durso Lois-Durso-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Mark Hawkins Mark-Hawkins-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

American Trucking Associations (ATA) ATA-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) OOIDA-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Chicago Department of Transportation Chicago-DOT-Comment-on-ANPRM-1.pdf

Fortier/PHSS

Coalition of Intermodal Associations Intermodal-Association-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Andy Young Andy-Young-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Consumer Reports Consumer-Reports-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Elisa Braver Elisa-Braver-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Aaron Kiefer/Collision Safety Consulting 

American Truck Dealers American-Truck-Dealers-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (Matt Brumbelow) IIHS-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) NAMIC-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety Advocates-for-Highway-Auto-Safety-ANPRM-FINAL.pdf

Truck Sail Truck-Sail-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals Association-of-Pedestrian-and-Bicycle-Professionals-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Jay Hightman The-Robyn-Hightman-Foundation-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

City of Boston Transportation Cabinet City-of-Boston-Transportation-Cabinet-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Montgomery County Families for Safe Streets Montgomery-County-Families-for-Safe-Streets-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Association of Pedestrian & Bicycle Professionals Association-of-Pedestrian-and-Bicycle-Professionals-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Massachusetts Vision Zero Coalition Massachusetts-Vision-Zero-Coalition-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

National Association of Trailer Manufacturers National-Assn-of-Trailer-Mfrs-Comment-on-ANPRM.pdf

Jerry Karth Jerry-Karth-Comment-ANPRM.pdf

Comment from Jerry & Marianne Karthattachments:

According to the federal rulemaking process, the next step is for NHTSA (and that will include the Advisory Committee on Underride Protection)to begin reviewing and evaluating the comments which have been submitted from the public. Now is the time for the development of a recommendation to the Secretary of Transportation as to whether a side guard regulation would be cost effective.

In other words, now is the time to finally determine that safety is an acceptable cost of doing business and Death By Underride is an unacceptable, unreasonable, and preventable risk for all road users. At least, that’s what I think.

In Memory of Michael Doran (July 20, 2023)

An Ithaca man died Thursday afternoon after crashing head-on into a semi in Arcada Township. . .

According to authorities, the Ithaca man—identified as 71-year-old Michael Doran from Ithaca—was driving southbound when he crossed the center line and hit a semi traveling northbound. Gratiot County driver dies after crashing head-on into semi

Because the bottom of a truck is higher than the bumper of passenger vehicles, when there is a collision the smaller vehicle easily slides under the truck and the first point of impact is the windshield. Seatbelts, airbags, and car crumple zones do not function as intended in underride crashes —frontside, and rear — leaving passenger vehicle occupants vulnerable to life-threatening injuries.

Michael Doran, Precious One Gone Too Soon

See Underride Crash Memorials posted here and at #STOPunderrides Tweets. To add photos or more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to be remembered, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com. Please use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form to provide us with accurate information . (Note: the map is currently not online; but we would keep the information for future updating and to aid in underride advocacy efforts.)

How You Can Help

Support improving Underride Protection on trailers: Contact your legislators with this User-Friendly TAKE ACTION online tool.

Please sign this petitionSecretary Pete, It’s Past Time To End Death By Underride!

Note: In order to raise awareness and preserve the memories of underride victims — precious ones gone too soon — I have been writing memorial posts on what could potentially be underride crashes. I am not a crash reconstructionist, and I do not have all the facts on these crashes; but underride should be investigated as a potential factor in truck crash injuries and deaths.

We are asking that people send us crash reports for collisions with trucks which they suspect involved underride. Send them to marianne@annaleahmary.com. We will submit these as complaints to USDOT. Read more here: Launching a Campaign To Flood NHTSA With Underride Complaint Reports.