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Solon files bill requiring underride-prevention guard for trucks

TopGear.com.ph Philippine Car News - Solon files bill requiring underride prevention guard for trucks

Car-into-truck collisions may soon be avoided if a bill requiring underride-prevention guard in the huge vehicles is passed into law.

"We can do something about fatal or nearly fatal vehicular accidents by requiring large trucks or trailers to have underride guards that would prevent a passenger vehicle in collision with a large truck to continue beneath the rear side of the trailer truck that would decapitate the upper half of the passenger vehicle and its occupants," said Rep. Winston Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City), author of House Bill 5930 or the 'Truck Rear Underride Safety Act of 2012'.

According to the lawmaker, it is time to seriously consider that deaths, injuries and damage to properties could have been prevented in accidents had there been a law on setting appropriate technical standards for a truck's underride-prevention guard.

"If we are to save more lives, more individuals from major injuries and more passenger vehicles from being damaged, then it will be worth enacting a law for improved crashworthy designs for truck underride guards based on certain technical standards proven to be already acceptable and tested," Castelo added.

Under the bill, trucks, trailers and other large vehicles should have an underride-prevention guard that's at least 18 to 20 inches above the ground to protect smaller vehicles from going under the much larger vehicle. In addition, the underride-prevention guard should be strong enough to withstand a 64kph crash.

If passed into law, the truck, trailer or any similar large vehicle involved in a car-into-truck collision that is found in violation of it will result in its automatic impoundment. The vehicle will be released only upon the owner's compliance with the safety requirement. Otherwise, the vehicle registration's renewal shall be denied until the vehicle complies with the safety requirement.

Photo from sxc.hu

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  • jojo204200 Apr 12 2012 @ 07:16pm
     
    Rear side, what about the front and the sides? Wow, parang may air dam, side and rear skirts.
    What's next? How do you avoid fatal collision between trucks and vans that don't have their engines in the front? Isip-isip nga kayo?
        2
  • markdejesus76 Apr 12 2012 @ 08:11pm
     
    EPIC FAIL 'to. parang nilagyan ng rear diffuser. Instead, why not require them to be well lit, complete the BASIC REQUIREMENTS according to the LAW, and teach drivers to be responsible and discipline. Clean Air Act nga sa ganyang mga lumang truck di nila mapatupad ng maayos.
        3
  • gogogo Apr 12 2012 @ 08:38pm
     
    paano kung yung truck into car collision? ganun pa rin. mas madalas pa naman ang truck into car kesa sa car into truck. hehehe
       
  • Feeter Silverster Apr 12 2012 @ 08:39pm
     
    back to the bump car days! fail!
        3
  • RS500 Apr 12 2012 @ 09:05pm
     
    Eto cheap solution: Wag TUMUTOK. Tang nang mga ibang driver kasi mahilig tumutok lalo na sa nlex. Di natututo hangga't di naaaksidente.
       
  • rarq23 Apr 12 2012 @ 09:12pm
     
    Sa ibang bansa matagal na 'tong required. I've been actually waiting for this to be implemented. It's a good start actually. Ito pa lang mapasa na malaking bagay na sa safety.
       
  • rarq23 Apr 12 2012 @ 09:19pm
     
    I like this bill a lot. Car crashes into truck rear ends happen kahit well lit na yung trucks. I believe malaking bagay 'to sa safety. I hate it whenever I see trucks na walang bar na mababa na katapat dapat ng engine ng sasakyan ko. Kapag biglang nag-preno yung truck or may lokong bumangga sa likod ko papunta dun sa truck - diretso sa mukha ko yung ilalim ng truck. Big deal sa safety 'to. We have to understand, It's a good start. Matagal na 'tong required sa ibang bansa.
       
  • meganekon Apr 12 2012 @ 09:27pm
     
    Guys, remember that this is the same guy who proposed the anti-planking bill…
       
    • rarq23 Apr 12 2012 @ 10:05pm
       
      HEHEHE Ginaya nya lang nga rin yung batas na sa ibang bansa this time. But heck we need that law badly. If you experience yung ipon ng trucks sa Osmena right after ng truck ban hours, grabe. Let's just take it as it is and don't need to refer to the previous bills the guy proposed. Kailangan naman natin 'to this time eh.
         
  • rarq23 Apr 12 2012 @ 09:34pm
     
    We cannot solve everything in one bill, and by just having a bill made into law. But things has to start somewhere. Mas ok na 'to. Kahit anong iwas mo - it still happens na mapatutok ka sa mga ganitong trucks. Kahit anong ingat mo mag-drive puwede ka pa ring mabangga sa likod at maipit papunta sa likod. Kahit anong ganda ng airbag system ng sasakyan mo hindi ka naman matutulungan nun dahil diretso na yung mga bakal ng truck sa upper torso hanggang sa ulo mo. And brake systems are not 100% foolproof. Check the pictures online and you'll see na dapat may ganito nang requirement sa mga trucks dito sa Pinas. I have no relation to the guy that started the bill. It's my first time to hear his name. Let's just support the bill.
       
  • GTR911R8 Apr 12 2012 @ 09:35pm
     
    if they really want to decrease the number of accident made-by-trucks or trucks-to-other vehicle they must pass law that make an annual full-check of every truck whether it is road worthy or not, so that by that process each truck will undergone to a strict and rigorous inspection of every mechanical and electrical aspect...
       
    • bruce Apr 13 2012 @ 08:20am
       
      better if there is an accrediated company that will inspect the vehicles. of course it should come from a reputable company, na hindi magiging corrupt.. should there be accidents on inspected trucks, they will have to investigate and explain in public.. siyempre pag may kapabayaan sa kanila, kulong ang CEO, haha..
         
  • regiusace17 Apr 12 2012 @ 10:06pm
     
    Why not put airbags onto them? :D
       
    • rarq23 Apr 12 2012 @ 10:09pm
       
      mahal plus there has to be a buffer zone between the airbag and the area where it should be triggered - or else sira lang yung container ng airbag or airbag mismo before it will have a chance to deploy.
         
  • 17Sphynx17 Apr 12 2012 @ 11:53pm
     
    I'd like to comment here.

    The concern is car in truck, meaning the car either rear ended the truck or went in from the side.

    Well, I don't know but wouldn't that almost always fall under the fault of the car? Either tail gating or driving too close to the truck, not yielding to ROW, falling asleep behind the wheel etc etc.

    I agree that these trucks just need to make sure the lights are always functioning so they are visible but I also wish they made sure trucks had their safety equipment on board. I mean some trucks use branches plucked from the side of the road instead of the reflectorized triangle. I mean seriously that causes double the harm because it is not sometimes clearly defined even with your headlights on.
        1
    • bruce Apr 13 2012 @ 08:31am
       
      sir, my friend's brother died because it rear-ended a parked truck in Cainta. he did not notice the parked truck when he slammed his car, almost cutting his head.. having this passed into law may help reduce fatality..
         
      • 17Sphynx17 Apr 13 2012 @ 09:26am
         
        This is what I mean about the reflectorized safety equipment. These trucks either don't use them or don't have them.
           
        • rarq23 Apr 13 2012 @ 09:48am
           
          It seems that the truck was just parked and had no issues on it that is probably why it didn't even try to use an early warning device.
             
          • 17Sphynx17 Apr 13 2012 @ 10:03am
             
            But if it wasn't parked at the side of the road, and actually on the road, I think they should use it, or have portions of the body reflectorized like your statement re the bumper etc.
                1
            • bruce Apr 13 2012 @ 10:16am
               
              agree.. those d@mn truck drivers don't even care.. they just parked it on the side and slept..
                 
    • rarq23 Apr 13 2012 @ 10:10am
       
      Let's just reduce fatality even if it is almost always the fault of the car. Malamang enough na parusa na dun sa driver yung totalled na yung sasakyan niya. Iwasan na rin nating madamay yung pasahero ng sasakyan dahil sa kasalanan ng driver. Also, truck operators also have that responsibility to help keep the cars around him safe since sobrang laki ng equiptment nila and they put everyone at risk. Bawasan na lang natin yung risk hangga't kaya.
         
  • romeoalltheway Apr 13 2012 @ 09:16am
     
    agree with markdejesus76, i had a near collision many years ago due to the the big truck in front of me having tails lights not working plus the truck being covered with thick mud/dust. i nearly ran smack into it (i was driving at 80kph) and perhaps underneath it. i was able to break but what a hell of a breaking it was when the car i was driving did not have ABS! Enforcement of safety measures is the issue here not legislation.
       
    • rarq23 Apr 13 2012 @ 09:57am
       
      It is difficult for them to keep their trucks clean as they usually drive for long hours without stopping. Usually these bars have a reflector running through the whole piece or at least painted with a light color. Mas maganda na rin at least we have something that is in our usual line of sight when driving. As I've said, it's a good start. It's also very easy for traffic cops to identify those that doesn't have them, mas malaki pa 'to sa mga license plates. Pag pipiyestahan agad 'tong hulihin ng mga pulis.
         
    • rarq23 Apr 13 2012 @ 09:57am
       
      It is difficult for them to keep their trucks clean as they usually drive for long hours without stopping. Usually these bars have a reflector running through the whole piece or at least painted with a light color. Mas maganda na rin at least we have something that is in our usual line of sight when driving. As I've said, it's a good start. It's also very easy for traffic cops to identify those that doesn't have them, mas malaki pa 'to sa mga license plates. Pag pipiyestahan agad 'tong hulihin ng mga pulis.
         
  • rarq23 Apr 13 2012 @ 09:58am
     
    It is difficult for them to keep their trucks clean as they usually drive for long hours without stopping. Usually these bars have a reflector running through the whole piece or at least painted with a light color. Mas maganda na rin at least we have something that is in our usual line of sight when driving. As I've said, it's a good start. It's also very easy for traffic cops to identify those that doesn't have them, mas malaki pa 'to sa mga license plates. Pag pipiyestahan agad hulihin ng mga pulis ang wala nito.
       
  • jakep882 Apr 14 2012 @ 03:03pm
     
    nakakatawa sir ang bill nyo.why not enact a bill that would permit the authorities to apprehend lawbreakers and other people violating all ordinances. yun lang po ang kelangan.equip our authorites well, gamitin ang mga pondo nyo sa pdf pambayad sa sahod ng mga na recruit na mmda para ma control ang masa anarchy. mag aral po kayo ng pinoy culture para alam nyo kung ano ang pwedeng pai apply sa ating kababayn.at magbasa po kayo ng mga comments dito.alam ng mga tricycle,bus and jeep drivers ang solusyun sa simpleng aksidente. sila ang kunin mong consultant. masyadong scientific and style nyio e simple lang ang gagwen naman ang solusyun. hahahaha kayo talaga oo.
       
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