Underride guards are a critical safety feature in the design of large commercial vehicles, particularly semi-trucks and trailers. They play a significant role in reducing the severity of accidents involving these large vehicles and smaller passenger cars.
These guards are designed to prevent a smaller vehicle from sliding underneath a larger vehicle during a collision, often resulting in severe injury or fatality. Understanding how underride guards improve road safety is essential for everyone on the roads.
Preventing underride accidents
One of the primary functions of underride guards is to prevent passenger vehicles from sliding underneath larger trucks during collisions. In the absence of these guards, the lower height of passenger cars can lead to them becoming trapped under the truck, particularly in rear-end or side collisions. This can result in severe injuries or fatalities for the occupants.
Enhancing crash survivability
Underride guards significantly enhance the survivability of crashes involving large trucks and smaller vehicles. By preventing underride, these guards ensure that the safety features of the passenger car, such as airbags and crumple zones, can function as intended. In a collision, these features absorb and mitigate the force of the impact, protecting the car’s occupants.
Meeting safety standards
The effectiveness of underride guards is subject to compliance with safety standards and regulations. These standards dictate the guards’ strength, height and overall design to ensure they provide adequate protection. Compliance with these standards is essential for ensuring that the guards can withstand the forces of a collision and provide the intended level of safety.
Even with underride guards in place, occupants of passenger vehicles can still suffer injuries in crashes. Seeking compensation for the financial damages should be done quickly because of time limits in California law.