Consumer Reports (CR) submitted comments in support of the proposed rulemaking by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for side underride guards for trucks. To protect consumers’ safety on U.S. roads, CR supports requiring strong underride guards on the rear and sides of trailers, semi-trailers, and certain single-unit trucks, as well as front bumpers or guards that help prevent underride/override if a truck rear-ends a passenger vehicle.
Additionally, based on information we have reviewed from other organizations, we ask that NHTSA reconsider its estimates on the number of lives that could be saved and serious injuries that could be prevented each year through protection against side underrides. We urge the agency to revise these estimates as warranted ahead of publishing a notice of proposed rulemaking, as the safety benefits of a requirement for strong side underride guards may be significantly underestimated.
Truck underride guards are proven to help stop a passenger vehicle from continuing under a truck in the event of a collision. These guards help prevent windshield-first crashes and improve the chances that a vehicle’s airbags and other lifesaving built-in occupant protection systems can function as intended.