NHTSA Upgrading Truck Underride Rules

By Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP on July 24, 2015

Truck trailer

Through its initiative to upgrade trucking standards and improve underride protections, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the rear-underride crash protection of single-unit trucks.

The NHTSA estimates that the proposed requirement for rear-impact guards could save five lives and prevent 30 injuries every year. The proposal is specific to trucks with a weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds without a trailer.

With years of experience representing truck accident victims in Texas, we can help you get the justice you deserve if you or a loved one has been injured in a truck accident.

Call an auto accident injury lawyer at (817) 920-9000 for a free review of your case.

Anytime a passenger vehicle is involved in an auto accident with a large semi-truck, the potential for serious injuries or even death is always great. The one type of truck accident, however, that poses the greatest risk for severe injury is an underride crash, in which a smaller vehicle slides underneath a truck trailer.

The front end of the average passenger vehicle is about 30 inches off the ground, while the bottom of a truck trailer is generally at least 45 inches above the ground. This means that if a car runs into the back of a trailer, the car cabin will bear the brunt of the impact. Because of this, these types of accidents are often catastrophic.

This type of truck accident can happen during a rear-end collision or through a collision with the side of a truck trailer. Rear-end collisions can happen if a following passenger vehicle is not paying attention when a truck slows down or if the truck slams on its brakes and stops quickly. Side collisions are common when trucks are making a U-turn or backing out into a heavily traveled road.

If you have been seriously injured in a truck accident, you need legal representation with the experience and knowledge to get you the compensation you deserve. Let the Fort Worth lawyers at Anderson, Cummings & Drawhorn, LLP fight for you.

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This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive guidelines. This page was approved by attorney Seth Anderson, whose team has more than 50 years of combined legal experience in helping victims of personal injury seek justice.

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