Should side guards be required for big rigs?

Many legal issues can come up in the wake of a big rig accident. This includes issues related to possible wrongful death claims. When big rigs and other vehicles collide, there can be substantial death tolls. The occupants of the vehicle a semi truck collides with can be particularly vulnerable to fatal injuries in such accidents. Skilled attorneys can investigate the details of fatal truck crashes for the families of victims of such accidents. They can also advise such families on what the findings of such investigations mean for things such as whether there are grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit.

There are many types of semi accidents that can be prone to fatal results. Among these are crashes in which a car ends up going under the side of a big rig. It is estimated that, here in the U.S., over 200 people a year are killed in this type of accident.

Many different things can impact the likelihood of such side underride collisions occurring. This includes the conduct of truck drivers and the companies they work for. It also includes what safety equipment large trucks have.

Safety experts assert that big rigs having side guards could help with reducing side underride fatalities. This has led some people to argue that such guards should be required for trucks.

Federal rules currently require semi trucks to have rear guards here in the United States. However, there are no federal rules or laws mandating side guards. The issue of whether side guards should be required here in America has drawn a fair amount of debate. One wonder which side of this debate will end up prevailing and what impacts the debate and its results will have on traffic safety in the United States.

Source: NBC News, “Side Underride Crashes Kill 200 People a Year. Will Congress Act?,” Ronan Farrow, Rich McHugh and Tracy Connor, Feb. 7, 2017