In the trucking industry rear underride crashes are all too common. An underride crash involves a situation where the front end of a vehicle impacts the rear of a generally larger vehicle, and slides under the rear end of impacted truck.
Underride can occur to some extent in a collision with the rear end of a trailer or semi-trailer because the bed and chassis of the impacted trailer or truck is higher than the hood of the passenger vehicle. In some underride injury crashes, there is passenger compartment intrusion (PCI) by the rear of the trailer into the passenger vehicle. The extent of the underride into the rear end of the trailer or truck vehicle at the time of collision occurs when the chassis of the trailer or truck enters the passenger compartment of the striking passenger vehicle. The intrusion into the passenger vehicle can result in severe injuries and fatalities to occupants contacting the rear end of the struck vehicle. An underride guard prevents underride when the passenger vehicle makes contact with the rear end of the trailer or truck and stops the passenger vehicle from sliding too far under the struck vehicle’s bed and chassis. The guard being impacted by the passenger vehicle is absorbed by the occupant protection technologies of the vehicle so that the crash forces resulting from the impact significantly reduces the risk of death and serious injury to the occupants of the colliding vehicle.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a final rule amending safety regulations to specifically add truck rear underride impact guard inspections. The rule requires these safety guards be inspected on an annual basis..
The new underride guard rule is designed to provide greater protection to the driving public in the event of a truck accident at the rear of the trailer of a semi-tractor trailer injury accident.
Injured In A Truck Accident?
If you or a family member have been injured in a truck accident, contact our truck accident injury lawyers today at 248-352-2110 or toll free at 866-447-3563. We would be happy to help you.
