Category Archives: Truck Safety

Getting the Ear of Legislators for Bipartisan Collaboration to #STOPUnderrides

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , ,

Lois Durso and I have had some excellent conversations with Senators and staffers in both Houses this week. When we have their ear and a bit of time to make them aware of the depth of the underride issue, they really seem to get it.

I only hope that this effort and the upcoming D.C. Underride Crash Test Event on March 26 will bear fruit very soon.

Since the original introduction of the bill on December 12, 2017,  unnecessary delay  has already allowed far too many underride deaths and injuries to continue occurring  — especially when this preventable problem has been known about for decades.

No matter what the reasons for past delay, let’s not let that stand in the way of ending deadly underride.

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , ,

I’ve said this before but it bears repeating: While it makes me frustrated and angry when I discover new information which reveals how much and in what way the underride problem has been swept under the rug for decades, I continue to push for action to be taken collaboratively to end these senseless deaths as quickly as possible.

Based on analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety of NHTSA’s truck crash fatality statistics (FARS), this graphic reflects the 600 truck/car collisions which annually occur, on average, at the sides and rear of large trucks  — leaving out front collisions: potential underride tragedies which we want to prevent with the STOP Underrides! Bill.

Some years ago, I noticed the way that the prophet Daniel, in Daniel 9, got on his knees and repented on behalf of his people. . . God’s people, for wrongdoing that he was not directly responsible for — appealing to God to act mercifully.

This week, I thought of that again and determined to stand in the stead of all those who have turned their backs to the underride problem — unknowingly or not. Perhaps we all play some part in not getting to the bottom of those terrible tragedies. Every day we delay, more people will die from truck underride. STOP Underrides!

No matter what the reasons for past delay, let’s not let that stand in the way of moving forward. That is specifically why a Committee On Underride Protection (COUP) is included in the STOP Underrides! Bill, so that a diverse group of individuals can more effectively bring about what is known to be possible.

And so I say with Daniel, “Alas, O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from Thy commandments and ordinances. . . Open shame belongs to us. . .

“O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Thine own sake, O my God, do not delay. . .” (Daniel 9)

On behalf of all those who have not been held accountable, I repent of our country’s indifference to this preventable highway carnage. I ask the Lord to forgive our callous attitude, misplaced priorities, and neglect. May He stir up a sense of urgency that we might all take appropriate action and work together more creatively and effectively.

What are we waiting for?! Let’s get on with it! We’ve got people counting on us — whether they know it or not.

Myth: Significant differences in vehicle mass responsible for truck crash severity. #STOPunderrides

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Two days ago, I found an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) Status Report from August 26, 1989. It had two articles about front underride protection which clearly demonstrated the benefit of installing that kind of technology on large trucks to reduce the severity of collision injuries.

“Front End, Energy-Absorbing Truck Guards Reduce the Risks for Motorists”, 8/26/89, IIHS Status Report

Here’s another report which I found the next day. It is a NTSB Safety Recommendation from May 8, 2006, which clearly explains the benefits of front underride protection. Thirteen years ago. And I find myself to be the only one in the country talking about this at any level of insistence that we do something about this. Now.

https://www.ntsb.gov/…/safety-recs/recletters/H06_16.pdf

I found it interesting that NHTSA stated in June 2000 that, “the common belief is that not much can be done to diminish the consequences of crashes between smaller vehicles and large trucks because of the significant differences in vehicle mass.

[I know this to be a MYTH both because I know that underride protection can significantly change the outcome and because I am a truck crash survivor of a horrific crash due to the fact that the truck did not come into my part of the car.]

“However, research has shown that geometric height differences and a lack of forgiving front truck structures CAN be modified to help reduce heavy truck aggressivity and to mitigate the severity of these types of accidents. Examples of these modifications, often referred to as ‘front underride protection systems’–which can result in reduced intrusion or occupant injury–include energy-absorbing front structures to offset the weight differences between two impacting vehicles, as well as bumpers designed to deflect the impacted vehicle away from the front of the truck, thereby reducing the total change in velocity of the smaller vehicle.”

This added information stirs up anger in me at what could have been done well before our crash — in which a truck hit us (front underride protection) and in which we collided with the back of a second trailer (rear underride protection). Fortunately, it also stirs up in me renewed energy and zeal to bring down the walls of Jericho and an end to this senseless loss of lives.

“Front End, Energy-Absorbing Truck Guards Reduce the Risks for Motorists”, 8/26/89, IIHS Status Report

Truck Safety, , , ,

Every evening, I receive an email notification from Google Alert letting me know about recent truck crashes. Cheery, right? Many of them are frontal, head-on crashes between a car and a truck — or crashes when trucks rear-end cars, too. I know from research that Front Underride Protection (FUP) on trucks could reduce the severity of these crashes.

So when I read about one more of those in tonight’s Alert, I decided to do some more searching online about how FUP might help to prevent the fiery crashes which I frequently read about. One thing I found, that I had not read in the past, was a Status Report from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety describing the benefits of FUP to reduce frontal crash severity. It was published on August 26, 1989 — thirty years ago.

Read it for yourself:  IIHS Status Report on Front Underride Protection August 26 1989

Now, tell me again why we don’t have FUP on trucks in the United States (though many other countries do). I’m waiting. . .

Front Underride Protection Brochure 6

Posts on Front Underride Protection

The chart below shows that NHTSA has recorded front underride deaths for decades (although it is known to be greatly underreported). Yet, they have done nothing to mandate technology which could prevent these deaths.

Truck Underride Deaths by TYPE 1994-2014

NHTSA FARS data on underride deaths BY STATE, 1994-2015

In 2002, the trucking industry predicted that there would be front underride regulations by 2006 (dubbed frontal aggressivity). Yet, they have done nothing to make sure that their trucks are as safe as possible around the traveling public.

2002 ATA Prediction of Underride Regulations

NTSB FUP Recommendations

NTSB Recommended FRONT OVERRIDE PROTECTION In 2010 after Truck OVERRODE 3 vehicles

What Truckers Should Know About Underride Protection

Truck Safety, ,

There are some things which truckers need to know about underride.

DC Underride Crash Test Event, March 26: Be There, or Be Square!

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, ,

Don’t turn a blind eye to preventable truck underride tragedies!

SAVE THE DATE: March 26, 2019, D.C. Underride Crash Test Event

Be there, or be square!

Save the Date D.C. UNDERRIDE Crash Test pdf

Society pay for Large Truck Crash Costs or Industry Pay for Safety Equipment as Cost of Doing Business?

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , , ,

How do “we” want to handle it? Ask the trucking industry to pay for underride protection as a Cost of Doing Business or continue to force the society and victims to pay for the cost of large truck crashes?

Costs of large truck-involved crashes in the United States

Zaloshnja_Cost Truck Injuries USA[14648]

Is safety equipment (like underride guards) a legitimate “cost of doing business” for the trucking industry?

Underride Question: Litigation or Legislation?

Win/Win: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the STOP Underrides! Bill

My Underride Protection Win/Win List:

  1. Fuel Savings (aerondynamics when combined with side skirts)
  2. Return On Investment (see #1)
  3. Trucks get Back on the Road more quickly when a crash does not involve a fatality.
  4. Driver Benefit: less negative impact on their career and avoidance of PTSD from someone dying under their truck.
  5. Job Creation (design, manufacture, installation, and maintenance of underride protective devices).
  6. Trailer Manufacturers burden lifted if mandated; they no longer have to persuade customers to buy trailers with safer equipment/design.
  7. BTW, lives are saved and serious injuries are prevented
Incentives:
  • Sponsors of the STOP Underrides! Bill are open to discussing a weight exemption for added weight of safety equipment (so that payload is not impacted).
  • Section 179 of the IRS Tax Code allows for a tax deduction for safety equipment purchased by trucking companies.
  • Decreased insurance risk. Wouldn’t it be great if the insurance industry would play their part and provide incentives for use of this equipment (perhaps discounts for early adopters of this life-saving technology)?

“Anyone that thinks they can outlive a crash with a truck, good luck.” Actually, I know it is possible!

Truck Safety, ,
When I checked the STOP Underrides! petition this morning, I saw that we had reached 48,000 U.S. petition signatures. I also saw this comment:
 
“Hello, big truck what do you expect. Anyone that thinks they can outlive a crash with a truck, good luck.”
 

Actually, I outlived a crash with two big trucks. My daughters did not. The difference? The truck came into their part of the car — not mine. It’s called Passenger Compartment Intrusion (PCI). And that is what Underride Protection can prevent. To save lives.

Note: some, but not all, new trailers being manufactured today have the stronger rear underride guard seen in this 2017 crash test. And most of the existing millions of trailers on the road have the weaker, ineffective rear guards.

Only a handful of trailers on U.S. roads have side guards to stop cars like this video shows is possible. That is why the STOP Underrides! Bill is so vitally important.

44,000+ STOP Underrides! Petition Signatures Posted on the Federal Register (May 2018)

I Survived Because Of Stoughton: An improved rear underride guard saved this man from an underride death

Is safety equipment (like underride guards) a legitimate “cost of doing business” for the trucking industry?

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , ,

It’s a simple question:  Is safety equipment a legitimate “cost of doing business” for the trucking industry?

Here’s one opinion from Country Supply, Inc. (they service semi-trailers):

It looks like another rule/law is coming down the pipeline for the American transportation sector, specifically the trucking industry. In December of 2017 some members of Congress put forth legislation that will mandate new safety regulations for semis. This bill, introduced as S.2219 Stop the Underrides Act of 2017, would mandate front and side underride guards. It would also require the rear underride guards be brought up to higher and stronger standards. Safety of passenger vehicle occupants is the premise for this legislation.

If this law is passed, should we just consider it another cost of doing business for the trucking industry? If the past is any indication to what new regulations and laws will bear, then the answer is a definitive yes. For those who haven’t voluntarily installed these underride guards it might be wise to think about the ramifications of what the enactment of this law will bring and how this will potentially impact your future business costs. Hopefully, the mandating of any new requirements such as this will allow for ample time for compliance and implementation. Naturally, there are varied opinions about this bill. Not everyone is a proponent. Are You for or Against S.2219 Stop the Underrides Act of 2017?

Now wouldn’t that be wonderful if the entire industry embraced that attitude and we were all proponents of this life-saving technology? In fact, I’m chomping at the bit to organize a Third Underride Roundtable. My vision is to bring all the stakeholders back together again in order to collaborate and figure out how we can most effectively move ahead together to implement a mandate for comprehensive underride protection.

Society pay for Large Truck Crash Costs or Industry Pay for Safety Equipment as Cost of Doing Business?

 

How many families are feeling the loss of loved ones this Christmas because of preventable underride?

AnnaLeah and Mary, Truck Safety, ,

How many families are feeling the loss of loved ones this Christmas because of preventable underride? How many more must die before we solve this problem once and for all?

 

This Year & Last Year…Before & After
Existence and perception sometimes seems to have a line of demarcation [May 4, 2013]. Nothing will restore it to what it was. I have to work harder to pay attention to and be involved in the new memories–to embrace the good in the after so that it does not get lost in the longing for the before.

STOP Underrides!