New Research Proves Faulty Underride Guards Increase Risk of Injury in Houston Car Accidents

Studies show underride guards on tractor-trailers create a high risk for injury -- even death -- for passenger vehicle occupants involved in Houston car accidents, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The IIHS has determined that these underride guards on tractor-trailers are prone to failure in low-speed crashes and they've petitioned the federal government to set higher regulations so these guards will remain in place and be effective during rear-end collisions with passenger vehicles.

Our Houston personal injury lawyers recommend you remain especially alert while riding behind a semi and that you always maintain plenty of following distance. We warn you that it may not come down to the model or year of car you're driving, but the skill and awareness of the driver that will keep you save on the road. You can't count on the truck driver -- and you certainly can't count on an underride guard to keep you from traveling beneath a semi in the event of a rear-end collision.

"Cars' front-end structures are designed to manage a tremendous amount of crash energy in a way that minimizes injuries for their occupants," said IIHS President Adrian Lund. "Hitting the back of a large truck is a game changer. You might be riding in a vehicle that earns top marks in frontal crash tests, but if the truck's underride guard fails — or isn't there at all — your chances of walking away from even a relatively low-speed crash aren't good."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 420 passenger vehicle occupants die each year when striking the back of tractor-trailers. They estimate that more than 5,000 passengers are injured from these types of accidents.

The study brought up more questions regarding underride failure, so the IIHS conducted a test of its own. They evaluated the effectiveness of underride guards on three different tractor-trailers, including those that met Canadian standards and those complying with U.S. rules. The underride guards meeting U.S. requirements failed miserable in preserving the vehicles that rear ended them. Canadian guards stopped vehicles before the damage reached the occupants in the passenger vehicles. The U.S. guards did not return such favorable results, according to Transport Topics.

"Damage to the cars in some of these tests was so devastating that it's hard to watch the footage without wincing. If these had been real-world crashes there would be no survivors," said Adrian Lund, Institute president.

If a you or someone you know or love has been seriously injured in a Texas trucking accident, contact our Houston personal injury lawyers at Stephens Law Firm calling us at 713.224.0000 to set up a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights.