Underride Crash Legislation Stuck in Committee
Underride accidents on North Carolina highways can lead to serious injuries or death. Some believe that federal regulations could help reduce the likelihood of these crashes taking place. The legislation called the Stop Underrides Act of 2021 would require underride guards on the front and sides of many trucks. It would also increase standards for those that are on the back of trucks. An underride accident occurs when a smaller vehicle ends up under a larger truck.
Underride Legislation
In addition to adding guards, the legislation would require that they be inspected. Furthermore, the bill would require guard standards to be evaluated every five years. However, the legislation is still stuck in the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. It is not likely that the bill would receive a hearing until January 2024. According to one member of the committee, manufacturers are taking the lead on making guards safer without any prodding from the government.
He also said that there were many different bills regarding the matter that were receiving consideration. On March 26, 2019, there are underride safety tests scheduled in Washington D.C. by groups advocating for the measures included in the Stop Underrides Act. It is estimated that hundreds of people are killed each year because of underride accidents.
Someone who is hurt in a trucking accident may have grounds to bring legal action against the at-fault parties. If a person dies in a crash, a representative of the deceased may bring legal action. Through a settlement or a jury decision, it may be possible to obtain compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and lost future earnings. Evidence of negligence may include driver statements, toxicology reports, or pictures taken at the site of a truck crash.
