When it comes to underride, as far as I can tell, there are at least four groups of people:
What group are you in? Are you comfortable with where you’re at?
The fact that truck and trailer designs can potentially allow underride when there are collisions with passenger vehicles has a long history of being misunderstood. With that in mind, we recently sent letters to two lists of “100 top carriers” in North America via Certified Mail.
We wanted to make sure that their Boards and CEOs received information about the availability of engineering solutions which can modify those designs in order to prevent deadly underride and passenger compartment intrusion.
Here’s our mailing list of the 200 companies:
Mailing List for 2020 Top 200 Carriers
Here’s the Carrier Letter Template:
CARRIER LETTERS Please Stop Preventable Underride Injury and Death
A recent article from Transport Topics caught my eye. It’s all about this & that concerning side skirts on trailers (for fuel savings). Lots for a trailer buyer to consider when making a decision.
Installing the complete system takes 2.5 man-hours, he said.
Wikipedia has to say this about cost: As of 2009, a set of trailer skirts cost between C$1500 and C$3000 (US$1300 to $2700). Standard trailer skirts have an estimated payback period of ten to eighteen months, while “advanced” skirts (those that improve fuel efficiency by over 7%) are estimated to pay for themselves in seven to fourteen months.
Seriously?! An AngelWing side guard can be installed in close to that amount of time. And if side guards were socially acceptable and widely embraced so that they readily available to purchase (you know how supply and demand works, right?), the price could quite likely be comparable. Plus side guards may enhance fuel savings when used with side skirts.
So why the fuss from the industry about the cost of LIFE-SAVING side guards!?
Read the whole article for yourself and tell me why there is such resistance to installing comprehensive and effective underride protection and outright opposition toward a mandate which would require it.
. . . the tractor-trailer was backing into a residential driveway on Route 460. The tractor-trailer was blocking the road and the 95-year-old, Rufus Murry Wilson, struck the tractor-trailer on the side with his Chevrolet Silverado.
Rufus, of the 100 block of Baptist Road in Wakefield, died on impact. https://www.wavy.com/news/local-news/isle-of-wight/95-year-old-man-dies-after-crashing-into-tractor-trailer-on-route-460-in-windsor/
See more underride tragedies at Underride Crash Memorials.To add 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.)
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.
WUSA9 interviewed OOIDA (Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association) about the STOP Underrides Bill. Watch the latest segment of their truck underride investigative series in which OOIDA publicly committed themselves to supporting strengthening rear underride guard standards.
That’s great news. They’ve apparently seen the value of making truck crashes more survivable when cars rear-end trucks. However, it is puzzling to hear them, at the same time, oppose side guard technology which can also prevent people from dying under trucks — in this case, at the sides.
OOIDA said all the research – and crash tests like the one staged last year, just blocks from Capitol Hill, to draw attention to the fight for new underride safety requirements – doesn’t convince their organization side guards will be worth the investment.
“My last semi-trailer was $42,000 just with that trailer,” Pugh said. “So now we’re looking at upping the price another $2,000 to $3,000. That’s hard for a little guy to eat. That’s hard for a big guy to eat. There’s not that much profit in this business and if you want me to buy this technology and buy into this technology, you’re going to need to show me it works.” Lewie Pugh, executive vice president of the Owner-Operated Independent Truck Driver Association or OOIDA, which represents more than 160,000 members nationwide.
Pugh wants more government (read that taxpayer) funded side guard research:
Pugh says that means real-world testing. Prototypes, paid for by the government, studied by a federal agency like the Department of Transportation for effectiveness.
Perhaps he’s unaware of the side guard study conducted by Texas A&M on a contract from NHTSA (with taxpayer money) published in April 2018.
Is he aware of the untold number of hours put in by researchers and engineers to study and solve the underride problem over the past five decades? Here it is in a nutshell: History of Underride Research & Reports: 1896 to 2019
Maybe he doesn’t realize that the AngelWing side guard — successfully tested by the IIHS at 35 and 40 mph and by its inventor at 47.2 mph — has been installed on multiple trucks for several years and traveled thousands of miles without operational issues.
What exactly would convince him that underride protection on the sides of large trucks — promised by DOT on March 19, 1969 — can truly mean the difference between life and death? Or that they are not “too costly”?
There are major developments in the fight to require lifesaving equipment on big rigs driving next to you on the road. Safety advocates say it could help prevent devastating crashes known as underride accidents.
One of the nation’s largest trucking groups now says it is open to some of the proposed requirements. But the question remains if the industry’s concessions will go far enough for the families of accident victims.
Read more of the story here: https://bit.ly/3awIaxU #Underrides#BigRigs#TruckUnderrides#TruckCrash#TruckDrivers
Engineers have long recognized the problem of truck underride (passenger vehicles going under trucks). They have also spent a considerable amount of time trying to figure out engineering solutions to this deadly problem.
This post will attempt to record many of the patents issued in connection with these noble efforts. It will likely not be exhaustive, so I would welcome information on patents which I might have missed.
1896 This patent for a side underride protective device for street cars was issued on July 14 1896 and cited by numerous more recent underride patents: http://www.google.com.pg/patents/US564027.
1913 A patent was issued in 1913 for a “Safety Device for Motor Vehicles” to provide underride protection for the sides of large trucks. https://www.google.com/patents/US1127241
1935 H.H. Robinson was granted a patent for a Guard System for Tractor Trailer Combinations.
Since that time, numerous patents have been published which refer to this 1913 patent (with the patent information organized in these columns: Citing Patent, Filing date, Publication date, Applicant, Title):
| US4688824 * | Mar 4, 1986 | Aug 25, 1987 | Herring John D | Safety device for vehicles |
| CN100572144C | May 27, 2005 | Dec 23, 2009 | 沃尔沃拉斯特瓦格纳公司 | Device for a vehicle side anticollision box, and a vehicle comprising such a side anticollision box |
| US7407204 * | Nov 27, 2006 | Aug 5, 2008 | Volvo Lastvagnar Ab | Arrangement for a vehicle side fairing, and a vehicle comprising such a side fairing |
| US20070085355 * | Nov 27, 2006 | Apr 19, 2007 | Volvo Lastvagnar Ab | Arrangement for a vehicle side fairing, and a vehicle comprising such a side fairing |
| US7780224 | Jun 9, 2008 | Aug 24, 2010 | Vanguard National Trailer Corporation | Crash attenuating underride guard |
| US20080303311 * | Jun 9, 2008 | Dec 11, 2008 | Vanguard National Trailer Corporation | Crash attenuating underride guard |
| US7887120 | Jan 26, 2009 | Feb 15, 2011 | Transtex Composite Inc. | Aerodynamic trailer skirts |
| US7942467 | Dec 24, 2009 | May 17, 2011 | Transtex Composite Inc. | Aerodynamic skirt support member |
| US7942468 | Dec 24, 2009 | May 17, 2011 | Transtex Composite Inc. | Aerodynamic skirt securing mechanism |
| US7942469 | Dec 24, 2009 | May 17, 2011 | Transtex Composite Inc. | Aerodynamic skirt panel |
| US7942470 | Dec 24, 2009 | May 17, 2011 | Transtex Composite Inc. | Aerodynamic skirt opening |
| US7942471 | Dec 24, 2009 | May 17, 2011 | Trnastex Composite Inc. | Aerodynamic skirt shape |
| US20090189414 * | Jan 26, 2009 | Jul 30, 2009 | Mathieu Boivin | Aerodynamic trailer skirts |
| US20100096880 * | Dec 24, 2009 | Apr 22, 2010 | Mathieu Boivin | Aerodynamic skirt panel |
| US20100096882 * | Dec 24, 2009 | Apr 22, 2010 | Mathieu Boivin | Aerodynamic skirt opening |
| US20100096883 * | Dec 24, 2009 | Apr 22, 2010 | Mathieu Boivin | Aerodynamic skirt shape |
| US20100187856 * | Dec 24, 2009 | Jul 29, 2010 | Mathieu Boivin | Aerodynamic skirt support member |
| US20100187856 * | Dec 24, 2009 | Jul 29, 2010 | Mathieu Boivin | Aerodynamic skirt support member |
| US20100264691 * | Apr 15, 2010 | Oct 21, 2010 | Giromini Richard J | Side underride cable system for a trailer |
| US8292351 | Apr 3, 2011 | Oct 23, 2012 | Transtex Composite Inc. | Resilient strut for aerodynamic skirt |
| US9004575 | Aug 3, 2011 | Apr 14, 2015 | Gary Alan Grandominico | Aerodynamic skirt assembly |
| US20110175396 * | Apr 3, 2011 | Jul 21, 2011 | Mathieu Boivin | Aerodynamic skirt |
| US8398150 | Apr 17, 2012 | Mar 19, 2013 | Wabash National, L.P. | Side skirt system for a trailer |
| US8449017 | Sep 11, 2012 | May 28, 2013 | Transtex Composites Inc. | Aerodynamic skirt resilient member |
| US20120169086 * | Mar 7, 2012 | Jul 5, 2012 | Giromini Richard J | Side underride cable system for a trailer |
| US8579359 | Jan 15, 2013 | Nov 12, 2013 | Wabash National, L.P. | Side skirt system for a trailer |
| US8678474 * | May 17, 2013 | Mar 25, 2014 | Transtex Composite Inc. | Self-repositioning aerodynamic skirt |
| US8783758 | Mar 19, 2013 | Jul 22, 2014 | Wabash National, L.P. | Folding side skirt system for a trailer |
| US8801078 | Oct 9, 2013 | Aug 12, 2014 | Wabash National, L.P. | Side skirt system for a trailer |
| US9199676 | Jul 2, 2014 | Dec 1, 2015 | Wabash National, L. P. | Side skirt system for a trailer |
| US9409610 | Mar 11, 2015 | Aug 9, 2016 | Wabash National, L.P. | Side skirt system for a trailer |
| US9573636 | Mar 12, 2015 | Feb 21, 2017 | Ridge Corporation | Aerodynamic skirt assembly |
| US9688320 | Oct 27, 2015 | Jun 27, 2017 | Wabash National, L.P. | Side skirt system for a trailer |
1977 Page Patent guard rail for side protection on large wheel vehicles, 1977 US Side Guard Patent US4060268 William Page.pdf
1996 Volvo began manufacturing trucks with Front Underrun Protection in 1996 in Europe. This is a patent filed in 2007 for an “Underrun protector and method of providing underrun protection.” http://www.google.sr/patents/WO2008002242A1?cl=en Other relevant information on front underrun protection can be found here: https://annaleahmary.com/tag/front-underrun-protection/
2009 Patent filed for a “Side impact guard device for industrial vehicles, particularly trailers or semi-trailers”
| US7967349 | Apr 7, 2009 | Jun 28, 2011 | C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni | Side impact guard device for industrial vehicles, particularly trailers or semi-trailers |
2012 Sapa Extrusions (inventor/engineer Malcolm Deighton) filed for a patent in 2012 for a “Semi trailer under-run protection device” which they later developed into a rear underride guard which was successfully crash tested on a trailer in April 2017. https://www.google.com/patents/USD703106
2015 Aaron Kiefer, crash reconstructionist and forensic engineer, was issued a patent for an innovative combination side & rear trailer underride protection system: https://www.google.com/patents/US9463759 Please see the numerous underride patents referred to in this patent.
2015 This patent for a Trailer rear impact guard cites numerous other underride protection patents: https://www.google.com/patents/USD790407
2016 Stephen Batzer and Patrick Rogers granted a patent for an Adjustable side under-ride guard for sliding axle trailer, May 31, 2016.
2016 Aaron Kiefer granted TrailerGuard system underride protection patent, October 11, 2016.
2016 Stephen Batzer and Patrick Rogers granted a patent for a Telescoping side under-ride guard for sliding axle trailer, November 8, 2016.
2017 Seven Hills Engineering, Perry Ponder inventor of AngelWing side guard Underride Protection successfully crash tested at 35 MPH by IIHS on 3/30/2017 and 40 MPH on 8/29/2017. Patent Pending http://www.7he.us and http://airflowdeflector.com/airflow-2/
2017 IIHS TOUGHGuard Award Announced for improved rear underride guard design by trailer manufacturers, March 1, 2017
2017 SAPA (Hydro Extrusions) publishes results of 40 mph crash test of a Rear Impact (Underride) Guard: Sapa 40-30 RIG Test Engineering Report Version 1.3
2017 Wabash Trailers announced a prototype side guard, September 29, 2017.
2018 Aaron Kiefer granted patent for an underride collision device for large trucks: pat9908493 Kiefer
2019 Vanguard Trailers granted application for strap side guard patent, June 20, 2019.
Vanguard Strap Underride Patent Vanguard Side Guard Patent Application 2019
2019 Fortier Side protection device for a vehicle, related kit and vehicle provided with the same, Patent No.: US 10,343, 636 B2. Canada.
2020 Wabash Side Underride Guard Patent Wabash 2020 SUG patent
2021 Patent for an Underride Guard Assembly for Trailers from Great Dane Trailers was published on October 7, 2021.
2022 SIDE UNDERRIDE GUARD ASSEMBLY FOR A TRAILER, Fontaine Commercial Trailer, Inc. patent for a side underride guard on flatbed trailers.
2023 Utility Trailer Manufacturing, side guard patent, July 4, 2023
For additional information on Underride Research, Reports, and Recommendations, see this post: https://annaleahmary.com/2017/09/history-of-underride-research-reports-1896-to-2017/
The current underride rulemaking was issued as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on December 16, 2015. Over four years ago. It’s time to take care of business. People continue to die horrific, violent, unimaginable underride deaths.
Is it time to move forward with negotiated rulemaking to hammer out practical, effective solutions for the deadly underride problem? Is it doable? Would this process enable us to overcome the stalemate between industry and safety advocates — to get the current underride rulemaking out of limbo?
NOTES ON NEGOTIATED RULEMAKING:
Declares that any agency may consult with the Administrative Conference of the United States and other individuals and organizations for information and assistance in forming a negotiated rulemaking committee and conducting negotiations.
Authorizes the Chairman of the Conference to pay, upon request of an agency head, all or part of the expenses of convening and conducting a negotiated rulemaking proceeding.
{NOTE: Apparently, this ability was later taken away from the ACUS and they are no longer able to assist in this way with negotiated rulemaking. Oh, well. Back to SQUARE ONE!}
Read more here: Negotiated Rulemaking Act of 1990
The negotiated rulemaking process is unique in several ways from both listening sessions and advisory committees. . . a negotiated rulemaking committee’s goal is to make binding, enduring decisions that will resolve the underlying issues and, if present, disputes.
Compared to participation in hearings/meetings and advisory committees, the role of non-Agency participants in interacting with the Agency through the negotiated rulemaking process is often far more robust, expansive, and issue-focused.
Read more here: https://cms8.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration/commercial-drivers-license/eldt/nprm-faqs
NOTE: And this could legitimately be done to update the NPRM on rear guards (which is in limbo) into a SUPPLEMENTAL RULEMAKING.
An SNPRM may be issued if a proposed rule has been substantially changed from the original notice of proposed rulemaking. The supplemental notice advises the public of the revised proposal and provides an opportunity for additional comment. To give the public a reasonable opportunity to become reacquainted with a rulemaking, a supplemental notice may also be issued if considerable time has elapsed since publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking. An SNPRM contains the same type of information generally included in an NPRM. § 1.05-40 Supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM).
What are we waiting for?
The AnnaLeah & Mary Stand Up For Truck Safety Petition was delivered to DOT on May 5, 2014 — one year after our crash. It called for comprehensive underride rulemaking. We’ve uncovered a lot more information since then; we’re well-equipped to participate in this process. Let’s get on with it.
A New Mexico jury found a trailer manufacturer “negligent” yesterday in a side underride fatality. “The family hopes the verdict ‘sends a message’ to the truck-trailer industry to take measures to prevent underride crashes.” Read more here.
Everyone, please call Congress at this D.C. phone no. and ask for your U.S. Senators and Representatives. When you get transferred to their office, simply tell the staffer that you want their boss to cosponsor the STOP Underrides Bill (S.665 and HR.1511): (202) 224-3121.
Thank you, Eric Hein and family. Thinking of you and all underride victims. Precious ones gone too soon. Never forgotten.
#STOPunderrides Enough is enough!
I was reflecting tonight on the three crash tests which I viewed in less than seven days in three different states with underride prevention technology designed by three different engineering teams. All of a sudden, the question popped into my head, “How much faster would we be able to get effective underride solutions available to install on trucks if everybody that is working on the problem — or even thinking about it — would truly be collaborating?”
It is totally ridiculous that we allow marketplace competition to inhibit communication and slow down the process. How many more lives could be saved if we more effectively put our heads together?
That was the original idea when we conceived of the Underride Roundtable. Are we willing to do it like it’s never been done before and make this a joint effort?
Previous post on a similar topic: Urgent Underride Discussion of Deceleration Forces/High Speeds. Don’t Dawdle.
When a stronger more effective rear underride guard has been designed by a manufacturer, why would they offer it as optional rather than standard on their new trailers?! And we’re talking about an insignificant increase in cost for the improved guard, according to one guard engineer.
For that matter, why do we offer any proven safety equipment as optional on vehicles?
Do we want people to die?
