Washington, D.C. — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Advisory Committee on Underride Protection voted to recommend that every trailer manufactured since 1998 meet the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ToughGuard criteria, a move aimed at slashing underride fatalities on the nation’s highways.
The push comes after a series of high‑profile underride crashes that left drivers trapped and highlighted a glaring gap in rear‑impact protection. Underride events, where a passenger vehicle slides beneath a trailer, account for a disproportionate share of fatalities in multi‑vehicle collisions. By mandating ToughGuard‑grade guards, the committee hopes to create a uniform barrier that limits cabin intrusion and aligns new rigs with crash‑compatible design principles.
Committee member Aaron Kiefer, a veteran crash investigator, stressed that the recommendation could be enacted immediately, protecting “hundreds of thousands if not millions of trailers” already on the road. Doug Smith, speaking for motor carriers, warned that applying the standard to pre‑1998 units would be impractical; he noted that older trailers represent a “very small percentage” of the active fleet. In contrast, safety advocate Harry Adler argued that wear, corrosion, and the occasional return to service make older rigs a lingering risk that should not be ignored. The panel also voted to extend rear‑impact guard requirements to single‑unit trucks and to tighten conspicuity rules for all large vehicles.
What This Means for Drivers
CDL‑A holders and owner‑operators should expect tighter inspection checklists at weigh stations, where officials will verify the presence of IIHS‑approved rear guards on qualifying trailers. Fleet managers may need to retrofit existing post‑1998 rigs that lack ToughGuard certification, a process that typically involves installing reinforced steel bars and mounting hardware approved by the IIHS. The added hardware can increase a trailer’s curb weight by 450 to 800 pounds, which translates into higher fuel consumption and marginally higher operating costs. However, the safety payoff—preventing a single underride death—far outweighs the incremental expense for most operators.
Industry Reaction
Motor carriers expressed a mix of relief and caution. While many welcomed a clear, technology‑based benchmark, some voiced concern over the cost of retrofits and the potential impact on freight rates. Trucking associations pointed out that the IIHS ToughGuard award, first issued in 2017, has already motivated several manufacturers to design guards that pass rigorous crash tests without underride. Safety groups continued to press for the inclusion of older trailers, arguing that even a modest number of legacy rigs can cause outsized risk if they reappear in service after refurbishment.
Key Points
- Committee recommends IIHS ToughGuard standards for all trailers built since 1998.
- Rear‑impact guard upgrade could add 450‑800 lb per trailer, raising fuel costs by $200‑$450 million annually for new fleet entrants.
- Side underride guard mandate remains on hold pending cost‑benefit analysis.
- Single‑unit trucks will also fall under the revised rear‑impact guard rule.
Looking for a better trucking job? US Trucker's free job-matching service connects CDL‑A drivers, OTR drivers, regional drivers, and owner‑operators with 500+ top US carriers. Leave your details in the form on this page and a recruiter will call you within one business day. Trucking companies are hiring now.
Photo by Carlos Sedano on Pexels