NHTSA Reopens Comment Period on Underride Guards

Oct. 6, 2015
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reopened the comment period for a July 23 advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) that NHTSA issued in response to a petition for rulemaking from the Truck Safety Coalition relating to rear impact (underride) guards.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reopened the comment period for a July 23 advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) that NHTSA issued in response to a petition for rulemaking from the Truck Safety Coalition relating to rear impact (underride) guards.

The original comment period closed September 21, 2015. The agency is reopening the comment period for 30 days.

On July 23, 2015, NHTSA published an ANPRM (80 FR 43663) pertaining to a petition for rulemaking from Ms. Marianne Karth and the Truck Safety Coalition (petitioners) regarding possible amendments to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSSs) relating to rear impact (underride) guards (FMVSS Nos. 223 and 224). The petitioners requested that NHTSA require underride guards on
vehicles not currently required by the FMVSSs to have guards, notably, single unit trucks, and improve the standards' performance requirements for all guards.

The ANPRM requested comment on NHTSA's estimated cost and benefits of requirements for underride guards on single unit trucks, and for retroreflective material on the rear and sides of the vehicles to improve the conspicuity of the vehicles to other motorists.