Tag Archives: Underride Victim Vigil

Video of Speakers at Underride Victim Vigil

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , , , ,

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.

Thanks to Sarah Haedrich, Vision Zero Coalition Coordinator for the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), we have video footage of some of the speakers at this event:

We are thankful for all who spoke at the Underride Victim Vigil, including:

  • 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

A Record of Those Remembered in the Underride Victim Vigil

Media Coverage of DC Underride Victim Vigil & Press Conference

  • Congresswoman Schakowsky next to crash test car (no side guard on trailer)
  • STOP Underrides Commemorative Underride Victim Bell

A Record of Those Remembered in the Underride Victim Vigil

AnnaLeah and Mary, Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , , ,

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.

The names, included in this solemn event, were taken from a combination of sources, including victims from families known to me and memorial posts on this website. 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, from daily Google Alerts which I receive on truck 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.

This is not an exhaustive list — merely the tip of the iceberg. But I hope that it serves to demonstrate the ongoing nature of a preventable public safety problem. You can find these Underride Crash Memorial posts here. The 750+ victims of preventable truck underride (front, side, and rear, involving tractor-trailers and Single Unit Trucks, as well as pedestrians and cyclists), whom we specifically remembered on September 14, can be found here:

Names & Photos of Underride Victims Part 1 – The Tip of the Iceberg

Names & Photos of Underride Victims PART 2 – The Tip of the Iceberg

Names & Photos of Underride Victims PART 3 – The Tip of the Iceberg

  • STOP Underrides Commemorative Underride Victim Bell
  • Underride Victim Binder
  • The Tip of the Iceberg
  • The Tip of the Iceberg
  • The Tip of the Iceberg
  • Families of Underride Victims
  • Calling out the names & ringing the memorial bell

Media Coverage of DC Underride Victim Vigil & Press Conference

Video of Speakers at Underride Victim Vigil

Media Coverage of DC Underride Victim Vigil & Press Conference

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , , , , ,

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:

Grieving families say US Department of Transportation failed victims of tractor-trailer underride crashes

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.”

Underride Victim Families Appeal to Secretary Pete Buttigieg

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

We pray for Secretary Buttigieg

  • Underride Victim Remembrance Walk from The Capitol to USDOT
  • Ringing the Bell for Unknown Underride Victims 1966 – 2023
  • Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
  • Congresswoman Schakowsky next to crash test car (no side guard on trailer)
  • STOP Underrides Commemorative Underride Victim Bell
  • Underride Victim Binder – 750 names & photos, mostly from 2020-2023, plus other known victims
  • The Tip of the Iceberg
  • The Tip of the Iceberg
  • The Tip of the Iceberg
  • IIHS crash test car into trailer with NO side guard
  • Car crashed into trailer with side guard

Video of Speakers at Underride Victim Vigil

Underride Victim Vigil & Press Conference on DOT Steps in DC

Safety Advocacy, Truck Safety, , , , ,

On September 14, from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m., families of victims of horrifying truck underride crashes will be standing vigil in front of the Department of Transportation in Washington, DC. We will be ringing a bell to memorialize the victims and sound an alarm. We will hold a press conference calling upon the Department of Transportation to require truck underride guards which will protect pedestrians, cyclists, and the motoring public from these violent and preventable deaths.

SAVE THE DATE Underride Victim Vigil & Press Conference FINAL

Participants will be invited to ring the bell for their own loved ones or for truck crash victims remembered in these underride crash memorial posts — the tip of the iceberg of precious loved ones gone too soon.

Underride Victim Memorial Bell