Have you ever looked at the side of a semitruck trailer, and noticed how high it sits off the ground? A large portion of a vehicle could slip under these trailers if the vehicle were to collide with the semitruck from the side. The problem is, the top of the vehicle — the windshield and the roof — would smash into the trailer as the car slips under in an accident scenario.
You might think that these kinds of accidents only happen in the movies. You might have even watched scenes in movies where the whole top of a vehicle is sliced off as it went beneath a semitruck trailer. Unfortunately, these accidents are real and they usually result in fatalities. One of the worst outcomes of a side semitruck trailer collision is the decapitation of drivers and passengers riding the colliding car.
A readily available safety technology could largely prevent the catastrophic and deadly injuries commonly associated with semitruck undercarriage collisions. They are called underride guards. Essentially, underride guards involve the installation of a durable skirt surrounding the sides of a semitruck. In crash tests, these underride guards have been shown to prevent fatalities and decapitations in semitruck collisions.
At this time, most semitrucks are equipped with underride guards in back. These provide protection in the case of rearward collisions, but rules and regulations need to be updated to require side protection as well. Fortunately, lawmakers throughout the United States are considering how to make such requirements a reality.
Vehicle drivers and passengers who get into accidents with semitrucks tend to have a higher chance of suffering severe and deadly injuries. If you or your loved one was hurt or killed in such a collision, you may want to investigate whether you can pursue financial compensation in court for your injuries.