NHTSA has ANPRM for Underside Trailer Guards
It is almost hard to believe that the last time we covered the topic of side underbody guards for trailers was around two years ago, but it has come up in the news again! When the effort to require them did not make it through the halls of Congress, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) has decided to take things into its own hands via regulation.
Details
The news comes from a publishing of an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM). The NHTSA will form a committee to research the benefits and costs of requiring these extra safeguards, then decide whether to move forward with requiring them or not. As of now, the NHTSA believes that it would cost each trailer $3,000 to be retrofitted on average, and would save an average of 17.2 lives and 69 serious injuries per year.
“Safety is at the core of everything we do,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman. “The selection and establishment of this committee is a step forward in saving lives and fulfilling the goals of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This committee will inform future actions and ensure that key stakeholders have a seat at the table on this important issue.”
The committee, named the Advisory Committee on Underride Protection, will comprise 16 stakeholders from all aspects of road transportation, including not only law enforcement but also independent owner-operators and trailer manufacturers.
Conclusion
The most likely outcome will be a grandfathering system as most technological regulations do: previous trailers before a set date will not require them, but all news ones will, and eventually the inexorable march of time would phase out the older trailers without side guards and it would become the new normal.
As of the time of writing the ANPRM has not yet reached the Federal Register, but when it does, the public will have 60 days to voice its opinions on the topic. Be sure to check the Federal Register once a month to see any new rulemakings that may become official, and to voice your concerns before it is too late!
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