All posts by Marianne

Recent Posts Related to the STOP Underrides! Bill

Truck Safety
  1. We are grateful for these Co-Sponsors of the STOP Underrides! Bill. On December 12, 2017, Senator Gillibrand, Senator Rubio, Congressman Cohen, and Congressman DeSaulnier introduced the STOP Underrides! Bill as a bipartisan/bicameral effort to end preventable truck underride tragedies. Since that day, additional legislators have joined with them to co-sponsor this life-saving legislation.Information on the bill — including bill text, co-sponsors, and legislative activity — can be found here. . .
  2. 4,180 Comments by Signers of the STOP Underrides! Petition in answer to the question, ” Why do you think Congress should pass the STOP Underrides! Bill?” Out of the 42, 950 U.S. signatures on the STOP Underrides! Bill Petition, about 4,180 people chose to make a comment in answer to the question, Why do you think Congress should pass the STOP Underrides! Bill? . . 
  3. STOP Underrides! Bill Petition Signers By State How many are enough signatures to make Congress listen? How many underride tragedies are enough to make us — the government, the trucking industry, and We the People — act decisively to end these senseless and preventable deaths?. . .
  4. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the STOP Underrides! Bill Here is a FAQ document with answers to frequently asked questions about the STOP Underrides! Bill: FAQ STOP Underrides Bill.I hope that it helps to get us all on the same page and moving more quickly toward effective collaboration to end truck underride tragedies with Win/Win solutions. . .
  5. Interactive Underride Crash Map Launched This Week We launched an Interactive Underride Crash Story Map earlier this week. We have only just begun to add links for the thousands of underride tragedies which are too well remembered in the decades of neglect of this problem.  Many families may not even have realized that they lost their loved one because of preventable underride.If you have information on an underride crash, or would like to add more details about the people touched by these tragedies, email the crash location (and any photos or memories which you would like us to include) to underridemap@gmail.com. We will be adding them to the map one at a time. Here is the map. . .
  6. STOP Underrides Bill to be Introduced 12/12/17; Petition launched on first day of #UnderrideAwarenessWeek We have launched the Stop Underrides Bill Petition today. Please sign & share. Public support is crucial to ending Death by Underride.  #underrideawarenessweekSign Here: Congress, Act Now To End Deadly Truck Underride!
  7. Sen. Gillibrand questions Chris Spear, CEO of ATA, on truck underride protection. This morning, Senator Gillibrand took the opportunity at a Senate Environment & Public Works Committee Hearing on to ask Chris Spear, CEO of the American Trucking Associations, some questions about truck underride. . .
  8. I am a truck crash survivor & mom (of two who died) on a mission to make truck crashes more survivable!I am the survivor of a terrible truck crash. I am the mom of two daughters who did not survive. The difference? Their part of the car went under the truck; mine did not.In the aftermath, I found out that the rear underride guard could have been made stronger to withstand the crash so that AnnaLeah and Mary might — like me — have been survivors of a terrible truck crash. . .
  9. Discovery of AnnaLeah’s Book Collection Catalogued Online in LibraryThing I can’t tell you how it felt to look online and find my daughter’s book collection all thoroughly catalogued. I knew that she had a LibraryThing account where she had kept track of her extensive set of books. But never until just a few moments ago had I looked it up. . .
  10. Holiday memories of AnnaLeah & Mary; Treasure the old for there will be no new.To be honest, I hate the fact that I spend almost every waking hour figuring out ways to move the needle on comprehensive underride protection. I also hate the fact that AnnaLeah & Mary have no more chances to create new memories while the rest of us go on with our lives — getting older and making new memories without them.I hate the fact that no one effectively took on the underride problem in time to let AnnaLeah & Mary live to see another day after their underride crash on May 4, 2013. And it keeps on happening to other families.  . .
  11. Why Has the Truck Underride Problem Been Left Unchecked for Decades? Truck underride is what frequently happens when a passenger vehicle collides with a large truck. Because the truck was unfortunately defectively designed to be above the level of the crush zone of the smaller vehicle, the passenger vehicle goes under the truck and the crashworthy safety features of the car are not able to work. Or, to put it another way, the truck enters the occupant space of the passenger vehicle — too often resulting in horrific death and debilitating injuries. . .
  12. Spotlight on Introduction of Bipartisan/Bicameral Bill to STOP Underride Tragedies I am very thankful for the media coverage of the Introduction of the Bipartisan/Bicameral STOP Underrides! Act of 2017. The problem of underride has been poorly understood, and I am hopeful that this action on the part of four legislators — Senator Gillibrand, Senator Rubio, Congressman Cohen, and Congressman DeSaulnier — will get the ball rolling toward greater awareness and decisive action. . .

4,180 Comments by Signers of the STOP Underrides! Petition in answer to the question, ” Why do you think Congress should pass the STOP Underrides! Bill?”

Truck Safety, ,

Out of the 42, 950 U.S. signatures on the STOP Underrides! Bill Petition, about 4,180 people chose to make a comment in answer to the question, Why do you think Congress should pass the STOP Underrides! Bill?

This list* was compiled on December 30, 2017 — about two weeks after the petition was launched. The signatures and comments (which generate an email to their legislators) keep coming in, including these two recent comments:

  • I hate unnecessary and intrusive government regulations, but I believe this is a simple, common sense regulation that will save lives. This is one instance where I believe a government regulation is warranted. It is not complicated or burdensome and it will save lives. Please pass this bill as soon as possible!
  • I knew the Karth girls. Secondly, if we already have the way to save lives available to us and do not use it, we should be ashamed of ourselves! The job of our government is to protect us. This is a simple, non-political way to do just that!

Here are the other 4,178 Comments: COMMENTS on STOP Underrides! Care2 Petition

One of Mary Karth’s many expressive faces reflects what countless Petition Signers wrote.        She was one of many precious lives lost too soon.

*  The first 91 pages contain the majority of the comments; the rest of the pages contain the remainder of the longer comments. Hoping to revise this format later.

Sign the Petition here: Congress, Act Now To End Deadly Truck Underride!

Number of Signers by State

STOP Underrides! Bill Petition Signers By State

Truck Safety

STOP Underrides! Bill Petition Signers by State

as of December 31, 2017 (launched December 11, 2017)

State

Number of Petition Signers

Alabama

307

Alaska

101

American Samoa

2

Arizona

1130

Arkansas

234

California

6488

Colorado

1027

Connecticut

583

Delaware

148

Florida

3671

Georgia

844

Hawaii

193

Idaho

216

Illinois

1583

Indiana

769

Iowa

313

Kansas

292

Kentucky

472

Louisiana

320

Maine

268

Maryland

730

Massachusetts

1100

Michigan

1470

Minnesota

588

Mississippi

166

Missouri

660

Montana

135

Nebraska

165

Nevada

499

New Hampshire

248

New Jersey

1307

New Mexico

421

New York

 2783

North Carolina

1109

North Dakota

47

Ohio

1543

Oklahoma

349

Oregon

 980

Pennsylvania

1801

Rhode Island

179

South Carolina

463

South Dakota

 68

Tennessee

 711

Texas

2507

Utah

341

Vermont

145

Virginia

 955

Washington

 1366

West Virginia

256

Wisconsin

 679

Wyoming

 52

American Samoa

2

DC

46

Guam

1

Northern Mariana Islands

2

Puerto Rico

 20

Virgin Islands

4

An underride crash can happen to anyone at anytime anywhere. Everyone will benefit from this bill. Join the team; sign the petition: Congress, Act Now To End Deadly Truck Underride!

Interactive Underride Crash Map

How many are enough signatures to make Congress listen? How many underride tragedies are enough to make us — the government, the trucking industry, and We the People — act decisively to end these senseless and preventable deaths?

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the STOP Underrides! Bill

Truck Safety,

Here is a FAQ document with answers to frequently asked questions about the STOP Underrides! Bill: FAQ STOP Underrides! Bill

I hope that it helps to get us all on the same page and moving more quickly toward effective collaboration to end truck underride tragedies with Win/Win solutions.

After all, this is not about getting the truck industry to get in line or else. To quote Rose in The Last Jedi: That’s how we’re gonna win. Not fighting what we hate, saving what we love.

In Memory of AnnaLeah & Mary Karth

Underride Crash Map,

On May 4, 2013, four members of the Karth family (a mother and the 3 youngest of her 9 children) drove from North Carolina to Texas to celebrate four family college graduations and the wedding of one of those siblings. While in Georgia, their car – in the right lane – was hit by a truck in the left lane that did not stop in time for slowed traffic and was charged with failure to maintain lane. The impact spun their car around and the truck hit their car a second time, forcing it backward and underneath a second truck’s trailer. That truck then also ran into the side of the second truck. 

All four of the people were trapped and needed to be extricated with the Jaws of Life. Marianne and her son were in the front seat and survived the impact with injuries. AnnaLeah and Mary were in the back seat, which went underneath the trailer, and died as a result of catastrophic injuries. https://annaleahmary.com/about/

Underride Accidents and the Woman Dedicated To Their Prevention

Our crash took place on May 4, 2013. We lost AnnaLeah that very day. We lost Mary on May 8, 2013.  In early June 2013, their older sister, Rebekah, set up a facebook page in memory of her sisters. I am so thankful for the opportunity which that has given me to express my grief and share wonderful memories of Mary and AnnaLeah.   https://annaleahmary.com/journey-through-grief/

See more underride tragedies at Underride Crash Memorials and on our Interactive Underride Crash Map. To add more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to this map, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com; use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form.

In Memory of William R. Zink, Jr.

Underride Crash Map,

UPDATE March 13, 2026: Hundreds of people die every year when pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and occupants of passenger vehicles go under trucks. Please consider joining a STOP Underrides National Town Hall via Zoom April 15 | 8 – 9 pm ET |RSVP HERE. 

Your voice at this unique advocacy gathering will let your U.S. Senators and Representative know that you want them to pass the STOP Underrides Act of 2026.

Two lanes of southbound Interstate 476 were closed around 8:26 a.m. after a man, identified by the Pennsylvania State Police as William R. Zink, 40, of Havertown, collided with another vehicle before spinning wildly into the concrete barrier on the right shoulder.

Zink was pronounced dead at the scene by the Delaware County Medical Examiner.

According to a report submitted by the PSP, Zink was driving southbound on I-476 in a 2016 Volkswagon Jetta at a rate of speed “too fast for conditions.” Upon reaching a vehicle stopped in the center lane of travel, Zink rear-ended the medium duty truck, a 2010 Isuzu NPR, which had two occupants who were not injured.

Zink’s car spun counter-clockwise from the point of impact until coming to a rest on the right shoulder of I-476. CPR on Zink at the scene was attempted but unsuccessful. Upon arrival of EMS personnel, Zink was declared dead at the scene. Man killed in crash on I-476

It was August 22nd 2016, at 8:30 a.m. on a Monday morning.  He was heading into his first day of a new job. Bill Zink’s family was devastated.

See more underride tragedies at Underride Crash Memorials and on our Interactive Underride Crash Map. To add more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to this map, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com; use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form.

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 appear to me to 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.

In Memory of Dannon Jim & Shynoah Jim

Underride Crash Map,

UPDATE March 13, 2026: Hundreds of people die every year when pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and occupants of passenger vehicles go under trucks. Please consider joining a STOP Underrides National Town Hall via Zoom April 15 | 8 – 9 pm ET |RSVP HERE. 

Your voice at this unique advocacy gathering will let your U.S. Senators and Representative know that you want them to pass the STOP Underrides Act of 2026.

This Christmas will not bring the celebration this family might have been expecting because of a preventable truck underride crash.

They say the big rig was slowing while approaching a red light at the intersection when it was struck from behind by the SUV.

State Police say there were no signs of skid marks or braking before impact.

They say 34-year-old Dannon Jim and 11-year-old Shynoah Jim both were declared dead at the scene of the crash.

Read more here: 2 killed, 2 injured in crash of big rig and SUV in Kirtland (AP) 2 Killed, 2 Injured in Crash of Big Rig and SUV in Kirtland

No matter what the cause of the crash, the outcome could have been different if there had been better underride protection.

See more underride tragedies at Underride Crash Memorials and on our Interactive Underride Crash Map. To add more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to this map, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com; use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form.

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 appear to me to 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.

In Memory of Brandon Pranghofer

Underride Crash Map,

UPDATE March 13, 2026: Hundreds of people die every year when pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and occupants of passenger vehicles go under trucks. Please consider joining a STOP Underrides National Town Hall via Zoom April 15 | 8 – 9 pm ET |RSVP HERE. 

Your voice at this unique advocacy gathering will let your U.S. Senators and Representative know that you want them to pass the STOP Underrides Act of 2026.

A head-on crash involving a car and a semitrailer truck Thursday morning in northern Washington County proved fatal, authorities said.

The crash happened just before 8 a.m. on Manning Trail N. near 180th Street on the border of May Township and Scandia, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

After impact, much of the front of the car was wedged under the front ­bumper of the truck, while the big rig suffered minor damage.

The victim was identified Friday as Brandon Pranghofer, 30, of Forest Lake. Pranghofer and his fiancée had recently given birth to a daughter. —  August 12, 2016, New dad dies in head-on crash with semi in Washington Co.

See more underride tragedies at Underride Crash Memorials and on our Interactive Underride Crash Map. To add more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to this map, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com; use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form.

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 appear to me to 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.

In Memory of Gabriel Hon

Underride Crash Map,

UPDATE March 13, 2026: Hundreds of people die every year when pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and occupants of passenger vehicles go under trucks. Please consider joining a STOP Underrides National Town Hall via Zoom April 15 | 8 – 9 pm ET |RSVP HERE. 

Your voice at this unique advocacy gathering will let your U.S. Senators and Representative know that you want them to pass the STOP Underrides Act of 2026.

On December 21, 2017, at approximately 12:51 a.m., the Idaho State Police investigated a two vehicle fatality crash westbound Interstate 84 at milepost 42 in Meridian. Gabriel Hon, 21, of Nampa, was traveling westbound in a 2002 BMW M3. William Lager, 68, of Estacada, OR, was traveling westbound in a 2000 Freightliner towing a single trailer. Hon struck the back of Lager’s trailer then struck the barrier on the median side. Hons was not wearing a seatbelt and succumbed to his injuries on location. Lager was wearing his seatbelt and was not injured. 21-Year-Old Killed after Crashing Into Semitrailer in Meridian

See more underride tragedies at Underride Crash Memorials and on our Interactive Underride Crash Map. To add more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to this map, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com; use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form.

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

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 appear to me to 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.

In Memory of Kyle Louis Juliussen

Underride Crash Map,

UPDATE March 13, 2026: Hundreds of people die every year when pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, and occupants of passenger vehicles go under trucks. Please consider joining a STOP Underrides National Town Hall via Zoom April 15 | 8 – 9 pm ET |RSVP HERE. 

Your voice at this unique advocacy gathering will let your U.S. Senators and Representative know that you want them to pass the STOP Underrides Act of 2026.

WOODLAWN, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is investigating a fatal crash that occurred early Monday morning on Hwy 79 (Dover Road) in Montgomery County.

According to a preliminary report from THP, 25-year-old Kyle Juliussen of Oak Grove, Ky. was killed when a tractor trailer that was exiting the Bi-County Landfill pulled out in front of his vehicle. Juliussen’s car hit the tractor trailer and ran underneath it.

The driver of the tractor trailer has been identified as 41-year-old Hollis E. Albea Jr. He was not injured. The THP report said he was charged with due care.

The investigation is ongoing. 25-year-old man killed in crash near Bi-County Landfill

Kyle Louis Juliussen of Oak Grove, Kentucky, passed away on Monday, December 18, 2017 due to a tragic automobile accident. He was 25 years old.
Kyle entered into this life on September 22, 1992 in Johnson City, New York, son of Arne and Joann O’Brien Juliussen. He was a proud US Army veteran and enjoyed his job as a Clerk at the US Post Office. Kyle absolutely loved Star Wars and all things sci-fi, but most of all Kyle loved his family.
Survivors include his wife, Rachel Juliussen, children, Kayden and Valerye, and his siblings, Arne Juliussen, Jr., Stoney Juliussen, and Kierstin Rowe.
Kyle’s remains will be cremated. No services are currently planned. Condolences may be made online at NaveFuneralHomes.com. https://obittree.com/obituary/us/tennessee/clarksville/mcreynolds-nave-larson-funeral-home/kyle-juliussen/3377551/

Photo of Kyle and his family: http://www.wenkwtpr.com/2017/12/19/dover-post-office-clerk-killed-in-accident/

Kyle Juliussen, 25 years young, was tragically killed in a car accident early Monday morning, Dec. 18, 2017, in Tennessee. He was a loving husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. He was an Army vet having been honorably discharged from Fort Campbell, KY. He left behind two beautiful babies and a wonderful wife. We are raising money for funeral expenses and unexpected costs. His wife and children need to bring Kyle home to his parents and family in Port Crane NY. Your help is much appreciated. Thank you and God bless.   https://www.gofundme.com/4a7pp-funeral-expenses-for-kyle-juliussen

See more underride tragedies at Underride Crash Memorials and on our Interactive Underride Crash Map. To add more information on this story or to add other underride crashes to this map, send an email to underridemap@gmail.com; use this Interactive Underride Crash Map Crash Location Input Form.

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 appear to me to 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.