Author | Lightnews

Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Apr 19

Side underride guards are required on every truck in Bali to protect Vulnerable Road Users from the “kill zone”. Shockingly @usdot.bsky.social has rejected to support any regs that could save hundreds of lives every year. It’s time to #STOPunderrides

@transportdems.bsky.social @commerce.senate.gov

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Apr 18

FMCSA continues to ignore data and @iihs-hldi.bsky.social while peddling the industry’s false narratives on side guards. It’s time to stop pretending there is no way to prevent Death by Underride! @transportdems.bsky.social

www.freightwaves.com/news/fmcsa-r...

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ee8a...

FMCSA refuses correction request on side underride guards on trailers

IIHS says FMCSA is compromising safety by omitting a crucial cost-benefit analysis from a publicly funded report on truck trailer equipment, but the agency is unconvinced.

www.freightwaves.com

Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Mar 31

For decades, NHTSA has known the dangers of side underride crashes that kill hundreds of people annually. Yet, they shamelessly refuse to act.

public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-05561.p...

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d3d3...

Congressional Oversight of NHTSA

Half a Century of Inaction: NHTSA's Failure on Underride Protection Demands Congressional Oversight in the Lame Duck Session

storymaps.arcgis.com

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Mar 27

OOIDA peddling side underride fiction again. It's time to correct trucking industry falsehoods with facts! Congress, use real data to protect the traveling public from side underride collisions. transportation.house.gov/uploadedfile...

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/ee8a...

Side Underride Guards: The Key Facts

Side underride guards on semitrailers and single-unit trucks would protect all road users and prevent hundreds of deaths annually

storymaps.arcgis.com

Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Feb 7

This is leadership that matters! Thank you Senator Lujan & Rep Cohen for re-introducing the DOT Victim & Survivor Advocate Act to create a National Roadway Safety Advocate at USDOT to improve roadway safety and support vehicle crash victims!

www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/pre...

Luján, Cohen Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Improve Roadway Safety and Uplift Victim Voices at DOT - Senator Ben Ray Luján

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, reintroduced the DOT Victim and Survivor Advocate Act to creat...

www.lujan.senate.gov

Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 29

So hard Jay. I know that pain of losing a child from an underride crash. We can do better and won’t stop trying to protect all road users…

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/8e96...

Under the Radar: the Deadly Gap in Side Underride Protection

Semitrailers and single-unit trucks lack side underride guards and often kill California road users

storymaps.arcgis.com

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 18

Best news of the week is the googly eyed bandit in Bend, Oregon!

www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/s...

Someone Is Sticking Googly Eyes on Public Sculptures in Oregon—and City Officials Are Not Amused

Many residents of Bend love the illicit adornments, which they say are sparking joy and driving engagement with public art

www.smithsonianmag.com

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 16

For decades NHTSA and @usdot.bsky.social has known FARS underride data is underreported & biased low. GAO found States were not required to report underride data. Nearly 2 years ago, I petitioned for a simple fix and NHTSA failed to even respond. Intentional or negligence?
@commerce.senate.gov

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 11

This doesn't address the Congressional Review Act that will certainly be used to overturn final rules published in the last 60 Congressional working days and bar
NHTSA or FMCSA from issuing "substantially similar" rules...the consequences of foot dragging. www.post-gazette.com/news/transpo...

Safety advocates fear Trump will drop long-sought rules to reduce fatal truck crashes

Mandates for automatic emergency braking and speed limiters are being drafted.

www.post-gazette.com

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 11

The 2021 Infrastructure law gave @usdot.bsky.social 1 year to research semitrailer side underride guards & if warranted, develop performance standards. Secretary Pete has a month left to publish support for side guards using data and facts to #STOPunderrides. Why wait?
arcg.is/0mS8zm

Side Underride Guards: The Key Facts

Side underride guards on semitrailers and single-unit trucks would protect all road users and prevent hundreds of deaths annually

arcg.is

1

Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 10

You can support greater road safety by telling CA Highway Patrol to require side underride guards on all semitrailer and box-type trucks in California. Whether you drive, walk, or ride, it's time to protect all road users and #STOPunderrides!

www.calbike.org/calbike-cont...

CalBike Continues Campaign for Safer Vehicles - CalBike

SB 961 didn't pass, but CalBike is still working with our partners to get intelligent speed assist and truck side underride guards.

www.calbike.org

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 7

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d3d3...

Congressional Oversight of NHTSA

Half a Century of Inaction: NHTSA's Failure on Underride Protection Demands Congressional Oversight in the Lame Duck Session

storymaps.arcgis.com

2

Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 7

Throw back because Oversight is needed!

Walking the halls of Congress telling the story of my son Riley’s death in a side underride crash. A simple fix for NHTSA to mandate side guards and save lives, but the Agency is captured by the trucking industry.

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 2

The California Highway Patrol can require side underride guards in semis, so we recently filed an administrative petition. Please consider sending an email to support this effort to STOP underrides and save lives

www.calbike.org/calbike-cont...

CalBike Continues Campaign for Safer Vehicles - CalBike

SB 961 didn't pass, but CalBike is still working with our partners to get intelligent speed assist and truck side underride guards.

www.calbike.org

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Dec 1

Imagine, your last view is the underside of a semitrailer coming through the windshield-bypassing airbags, seatbelts, and crumple zones. Engineered safety systems are worthless unless we #STOPunderrides. You are not safe next to a semi! @petebuttigieg8.bsky.social

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrL7...

Benefits of side underride guards for semitrailers

YouTube video by IIHS

www.youtube.com

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 30

Salmon deaths bring new attention to a longstanding problem; particles from tires

www.npr.org/2024/11/29/n...

www.npr.org

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 30

For 50 years the trucking industry has objected to 500 lb side underride guards on semitrailers citing the 80,000 lb weight limit, yet semis regularly carry:

*15,000 lb sleeper cab

*500 lb grill guard

*500 lb winter tire chains carried all year

Why isn’t weight a problem for any of these items?

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 30

www.calbike.org/calbike-cont...

CalBike Continues Campaign for Safer Vehicles - CalBike

SB 961 didn't pass, but CalBike is still working with our partners to get intelligent speed assist and truck side underride guards.

www.calbike.org

Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 30

Those are all so reasonable Greg.

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 29

Failure on underride protection demands Congressional oversight in the lame duck session. storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d3d3...

Congressional Oversight of NHTSA

Half a Century of Inaction: NHTSA's Failure on Underride Protection Demands Congressional Oversight in the Lame Duck Session

storymaps.arcgis.com

2

Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 29

Many of passenger vehicle and VRU deaths from underride crashes with semitrailers can be prevented with side guards. It is appalling that NHTSA suppressed side underride data due to regulatory capture by the trucking industry.

wapo.st/3Oyoe2Y

Perspective | Whistleblower says DOT kept important truck safety info from the public

Families who lost loved ones in crashes with large trucks and people with national organizations are now calling for an investigation

wapo.st

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 28

Nine years ago, my son Riley left home driving to high school marching band practice. He came home in an urn. It’s time for NHTSA to stop underrides. storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/1412...

Unguarded and Unsafe: Death by Underride

Semitrailers lack side underride guards killing hundreds and injuring thousands annually on our roadways

storymaps.arcgis.com

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 28

Not the first time NHTSA has ignored safety of the traveling public

storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d3d3...

Congressional Oversight of NHTSA

Half a Century of Inaction: NHTSA's Failure on Underride Protection Demands Congressional Oversight in the Lame Duck Session

storymaps.arcgis.com

Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 27

NHTSA ignored ~$6B yearly costs of side underride fatalities; hid 2022 side guard data from semitrailer companies; omitted benefits to VRUs; & truncated their own research showing efficacy of side guards up to 50 mph--all leading to a flawed cost benefit analysis. www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU-Z...

www.youtube.com

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Eric Hein @ewh161.bsky.social · Nov 26

@petebuttigieg89.bsky.social “If the evidence gathered by the agency [NHTSA] indicates that side underride rulemaking could contribute significantly to safety, the agency will commence rulemaking" Federal Register 1979

Since then, ~9,000 people have died because semis lack side underride guards!

1979 Federal Register notice denying a petition for side underride guards on semitrailers.

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