Underruns would have prevented my accident

UNDERRUN BARS are mandatory in Europe but NOT in America.  These simple “add on’s” can AND DO save lives and would have prevented my accident.

 HEAVY VEHICLE (semi-trucks)-LIGHT VEHICLE (automobile/motorcycle) CRASHES-EFFECT OF UNDERRUN

Underruns have TWO major effects on the outcome of crashes:

• Underruns can expose light vehicles (including motorcycles) to direct contact with a rigid part of the heavy vehicle before the light vehicle’s crashworthiness has to be tested, protecting the safety of passengers/riders.

• Components of the heavy vehicle (steering axle, other axles, braking components et cetera) are not compromised to the degree that the vehicle is not controllable in coming to a stop, or making the vehicle immobile after a crash

The first has a direct impact on the trauma outcomes of the collision while the second can either lead to other collisions (uncontrollable vehicle hitting fixed objects or other vehicles) or rollovers, or present hazards to other road users by obstructing traffic.

Of particular concern is:

SIDE underruns and side swipe – where the angle of approach exposes the occupants to cabin intrusion (for light vehicles) and direct contact (for motorcycle riders) from the tray or body of the heavy vehicle

Underruns on heavy vehicles prevent road users to be trapped underneath the vehicle or run over by the wheels reducing the chances of a crash to be fatal as well as reducing the trauma possible from such a crash.

A study in Australia shows that crash involvement with the sides of large vehicles (semi-trucks);

With other light vehicles – 13%fatal, 10% of serious injury

With other road users    -    40% fatal

RECOMMENDATIONS-

Side underrun barriers should provide a clearance underneath of no more than 350mm to ensure unprotected road users are not run over by the wheels of the heavy vehicle.  Some countries that have adopted underruns provide a clearance of 550mm which over time has proven that it is insufficient.

Preferably side underruns should not be rails as there is potential for road users to be caught up in the rails.  Tool boxes and other items installed or carried the tray levey should form part of the barrier.

Background to underruns

Consideration of underrun protection has been around since the very earliest cars.  Current buses have comprehensive underrun protection to prevent the risk of passengers falling under the wheels.

 Study objective

To review and report on the issue of side underrun crashes.  In particular the objective is to:

(i)                 Review and collate the findings of major American and world wide studies examining the effect underruns have had in reducing the risk of fatalities and serious injuries involving heavy vehicles vs. light vehicles and motorcycles.

(ii)               Carry out literature review to identify any relevant overseas findings and developments subsequent to those studies including any existing or proposed design standards for underrun protection.

(iii)              Produce an updated report on side underruns that could be used as the basis of a submission to the Federal Government, seeking the introduction of appropriate American design rules to address the issue of underruns.

Currently

Some manufactures of large trucks and trailers have commenced supplying side underruns to the Australian and European market – e.g. Mercedes Benz and Vawdrey.  Many prime movers have a continuous line of wheels plus fuel tanks so that there is little side underrun possible.  HOWEVER, there are many vehicles, especially long wheelbase and or long rear overhang rigid trucks and semi-trailers, which have significant areas for side underruns.

UNDERRUN PROTECTION FOR VEHICLES Technical Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an underrun protection for vehicles of the type that includes a wheel-carried chassis having a platform or the like, the underrun protection comprising a stiff sheet unit fasten able on the vehicle having the purpose of partly covering the free space under the platform, thereby counteracting running-in under the platform by other vehicles.

Background of the Invention Along the two long sides of such vehicles as lorries, there is a free space between the front wheel sets and rear wheel sets and under the part of the platform of the vehicle that protrudes from the chassis or the frame work constituting a risk factor in regard of road safety in so far that other vehicles, such as private cars, two-wheelers and the like, may drive into the same and become wedged up under the projecting platform section. In this connection, the platform section may give rise to serious personal injuries. In order to avoid such underrun accidents, the vehicles may be provided with particular underrun protections that essentially extend in flush with the long sides of the platform or addition in order to cover most of the space between the front and rear wheels. However, previously known underrun protections are permanently immovably fixed in relation to the vehicle chassis, more precisely, by the covering sheet unit being stiffly united to a fastening unit, which is in turn stiffly connected to the chassis, e. g. by means of welded or bolt joints. The fact that the underrun protection is fixed in a given position makes it difficult or impossible to practically utilize the storage box or storage boxes that usually are mounted on the chassis in the area immediately under the platform. Another shortcoming of the known underrun protections is that the same are not suitable for exposing commercial and/or information messages, in spite of the fact that the same are well visible, for instance from the side of the vehicle