Truck rear guards have been around since at least 1953, even around Pearland, TX. The NHTSA and the IIHS have made crash studies involving big rig underride accidents. Their studies reveal that most of the time, the rear underride guard on a truck is too weak, too narrow and too high above the ground to provide much safety for occupants of a car that might rear-end the truck.

A good rear underride guard on a truck in Pearland, TX will extend for the full width of the truck’s trailer and extend low enough to the ground to stop even the most compact cars, like Mini Coopers and Smart Cars, from sliding underneath the big rig. A truck rear guard with a lower edge that extends to 16 inches above the ground should be able to connect with even the smallest cars and reduce their chances of a big rig underride accident.

About 40% of big rig underride accidents in Pearland, TX involve cars striking the rear corners of the trucks and sliding underneath. But many rear underride guards that you see do not have vertical support beams on the rear corners. The vertical supports attach near the center of the truck trailer. So many big rig underride accidents will cause the rear guards to tear away from the truck rather than stop the car.

Approximately 50% of truck underride accidents in Pearland, TX involve side impact underrides. But side underride guards remain the exception rather than the rule. And the side underride guard that you do see likely possesses the same safety deficiencies as the typical rear underride guard on a truck. For the present, most big rig underride accidents remain likely to prove fatal or cause devastating injuries.

Our Pearland, TX injury accident law firm has successfully handled some major truck accident claims for our clients. If you’ve been injured in an underride accident with a truck, we could (for example) help you show that the absence of side guards represented serious negligence and disregard for your safety. Having our knowledge and long-term truck accident claim experience on your side could mean the difference between a paltry, token settlement and the full financial recovery you actually deserve. Call us today for your free legal consultation.