Analysis of Rear Underride in Fatal Truck Crashes, 2008

This study was conducted by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) to collect and analyze crash data on rear underride in fatal truck crashes in 2008. The underride data was collected as a supplement to the 2008 Trucks Involved in Fatal Accidents (TIFA) survey, which in turn supplements National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System file. Data was collected on the rear geometry of the rear-most unit of all trucks in the 2008 TIFA file. In addition, for all collisions in which the rear of the truck was struck, data was collected on the extent of underride, damage to the underride guard, if any, and whether the collision was offset. In addition, international rear underride protection standards were surveyed and summarized. Overall, accounting for the rear geometry of the vehicles and exemptions for certain cargo body types, it is estimated that about 39 percent of straight trucks in the crashes were required to have underride guards, and about 64 to 66 percent of trailers pulled by tractors were required to have them. Rear underride was noted in about 63 percent of rear-end-struck (RES) crash involvements. The underride was to the windshield or beyond in 26 percent of RES involvements. Vehicles with lower front geometry tended to experience more underride than vehicles with a higher front geometry. Offset impact was not associated with greater damage to the underride guard, but did tend to result in more extensive underride. There were 532 fatalities to the occupants of vehicles that struck the rears of trucks. There was some underride reported in 59 percent of the fatalities. Considering light passenger vehicles only, 403 fatalities occurred in RES involvements, with some underride in 260, or 65 percent of the cases.

• Record URL:
  http://www.nhtsa.gov/DOT/NHTSA/NVS/Crashworthiness/Truck%20Underride/811652.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

  2901 Baxter Road
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109-2150

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Blower, Daniel
  • Woodrooffe, John
  • Page, Oliver
• Publication Date: 2012-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 90p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Fatalities; Rear end crashes; Traffic safety; Truck crashes; Trucks; Underride guards; Underride override crashes
• Identifier Terms: Trucks Involved in Fatal Accidents
• Subject Areas: Highways; Motor Carriers; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01449546
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT HS 811 652
• Contract Numbers: DTNH22-05-D-01019/0028
• Files: HSL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Oct 19 2012 3:52PM