Families of underride victims gathered on September 14, 2023, in front of the U.S. Department of Transportation at 1200 New Jersey Ave SE in Washington, DC — with crash test cars from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 2017 side underride research in the background — to remember loved ones, who lost their lives due to truck underride. The families rang a commemorative bell for over 750 victims, primarily from the last few years, and called upon the Department to re-evaluate publicly available data, end their decades of inaction, and issue strong underride regulations.

Their message was this: Delay = Death.

A Record of Those Remembered in the Underride Victim Vigil

Media coverage included:

• In a tolling bell, a grim message about preventable truck deaths, The Washington Post
• Moms urge federal regulators to mandate side underride guards, FreightWaves
• Moms urge federal regulators to mandate side underride guards, Yahoo! Finance
• Crash victims allege DOT violations related to underride guard report, FreightWaves
• Grieving families say US Department of Transportation failed victims of tractor-trailer underride crashes, WUSA9

Speakers at the press conference included:

• Dr. Elisa Braver, epidemiologist and safety researcher
• Andy Young, The Law Firm for Truck Safety
• Barry Davis, father of underride victim Ally Davis
• Lois Durso, mother of underride victim Roya Sadigh
• Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
• Sean O’Malley, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
• Abbie Bingham Endicott, cousin of underride victim Sylvia Bingham
• Daniel Langenkamp (husband of underride victim Sarah Langenkamp) read a statement from Stephen Bingham, father of underride victim Sylvia Bingham
• Nancy Avis, cousin of underride victim Carling Mott
• Harry Adler, Institute for Safer Trucking
• Jerry and Marianne Karth, parents of underride victims AnnaLeah & Mary Karth

“Underride crashes, which occur when a car slides underneath the body of a truck, have tragically become all too common on our highways. These crashes are preventable. Underride guards on large trucks save lives. I urge @NHTSAgov to implement stronger protections without delay,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “I would be remiss if I did not mention all the survivors and family members who are turning their personal tragedy into advocacy. We could not do this without you.”

Letter to DOT Office of Inspector General, September 14, 2023

We pray for Secretary Buttigieg

Video of Speakers at Underride Victim Vigil