Bill > HR7354

This bill, titled the "Stop Underrides Act 2.0," aims to significantly reduce deaths and injuries caused by underride crashes, which occur when a smaller vehicle slides underneath a larger truck or trailer. It mandates the Secretary of Transportation to establish new safety standards for "comprehensive underride protection systems," which include front, rear, and side underride guards, by requiring their installation on new trailers, semitrailers, and single unit trucks. These guards must prevent passenger vehicles from intruding into the occupant survival space at speeds up to 40 miles per hour and also protect Vulnerable Road Users, such as motorcyclists, from sliding under the truck. The bill also requires the reconvening of the Advisory Committee on Underride Protection, expands its membership to include families of victims, and mandates more frequent meetings. Furthermore, it directs the Secretary to create a publicly accessible website for underride research and data, commissions studies on front underride crash prevention and the implementation of existing rear underride guard regulations, and requires a review of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) to improve the reporting and identification of underride crashes, along with the development of web-based training for law enforcement on how to document these incidents.