Stop Semi Truck Underrides
This site shares details about the dangers of Underride crashes And encourages logistics companies to install underride guard
About Prevent Underrides
My Story
My Story (Cont.)
My Story (Cont.)
In 2021 my family was in a side underride crash with a semi-truck in New Mexico on I-40. My mom was driving our full-size Chevy Silverado and passing a semi-truck in the fast lane when the semi-truck swerved into our lane to avoid running into a slower car that just merged onto the freeway.
My mom slammed on the brakes to try and let the
In 2021 my family was in a side underride crash with a semi-truck in New Mexico on I-40. My mom was driving our full-size Chevy Silverado and passing a semi-truck in the fast lane when the semi-truck swerved into our lane to avoid running into a slower car that just merged onto the freeway.
My mom slammed on the brakes to try and let the truck pass, but the rear underride guard hooked into the passenger side fender and pinned us between the trailer and the guardrail. The guardrail shredded the driver rear fender and tailgate while the semi dragged us down the freeway and peeled the front fender way from the frame like a can opener opening a can of tuna. When we finally came to a stop the truck looked like the mutant Wolverine had sliced through it with his claws. The semi didn't have a scratch.
My family was lucky that day. We were driving a full-size pick-up truck and the semi-truck trailer was empty. But every year ~6,000 people in the US die in accidents with semi-trucks. Had the trailer been loaded or we were driving a CUV or sedan, we likely would have been part of that statistic.
My Story (Cont.)
My Story (Cont.)
My Story (Cont.)
I was only 14 years old when this occurred, but it wasn't my first car accident. When I was 5 and sitting in my car seat in the backseat a semi-truck blew a tire in front of my parents and a piece of the tire came straight through the windshield and hit me in the chest. As I got older and understood the laws of physics, including inertia
I was only 14 years old when this occurred, but it wasn't my first car accident. When I was 5 and sitting in my car seat in the backseat a semi-truck blew a tire in front of my parents and a piece of the tire came straight through the windshield and hit me in the chest. As I got older and understood the laws of physics, including inertia, potential and kinetic energy, I realized how dangerous semi-trucks are and as a driver I never stay behind or next to a semi-truck on the freeway.
In 2023 PBS aired a Frontline episode on the dangers of side and rear underride accidents with semi trucks and I decided to get involved. My mom is eastern European and during a recent trip back to see her family I saw semis in the EU have steel guards around the whole trailer to prevent cars for going underneath. In doing research I learned these safety measures only cost a couple hundred dollars and can save thousands of lives. I created this website to raise awareness of this issue and encourage Amazon, Walmart, and Costco to implement the same safety measures they have in the EU right here in America.
I plan on studying Mechanical Engineering in college and hope to get involved in designing and bringing these safety features to the US.
Contact Me
Please send me an email to connect!
I would like to hear your story and learn how we can work together to prevent side and rear underrides.
