Truck underride collisions are some of the most horrific and traumatic type of accidents involving large trucks. Reportedly, underride collisions account for one-quarter of the fatalities in accidents involving trucks. An underride collision occurs when a passenger vehicle collides with a straight truck or the trailer of a tractor-trailer semi-trailer combination and runs under the truck. This can sometimes result in the roof of the vehicle being sheared off, often killing the occupants. Side-collision underrides are often the most fatal, as rear-collision underride accidents often involve the car hitting the back axle of the truck, preventing the car from sliding beneath the trailer.
ABC 11 reports that two mothers are working to charge truck underride laws after they lost their teen daughters in underride collisions.
Marianne Karth of Raleigh, North Carolina and Lois Durso of Florida are on a mission to change the laws regarding the height of big truck trailers.
Both lost their daughters in tragic accidents that involved truck underrides. Karth’s daughters, AnnaLeah and Mary were teenagers when they died in an underride accident. Durso’s daughter was 26 when she was killed in the same type of accident.
Both mothers are now pushing for national legislation that would require stricter regulations on trucks. Their goal is to make accidents involving big trucks more survivable.
The two women had a bill introduced called the “Stop Underrides Act.” The bill required all trucks to have sideguards to prevent underrides.
Data shows that more than 200 fatalities occur due to underride accidents each year.
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