Evaluation of Light Vehicle Side Underride Collisions into Combination Trucks

Field data is used to evaluate the number of light vehicle occupants injured or killed in side underride crashes with “combination trucks”. Statistical analyses were performed of federal crash data files for side underride crashes with passenger compartment intrusion (PCI) in the light vehicle, and an in-depth review of combination truck crashes was performed using photographs, scene diagrams, and other vehicle and occupant data. Results show that, annually, fewer than 4% of all occupant fatalities and approximately 5.5% of all occupant injuries sustained in light vehicles that have collided with combination trucks can be attributed to side impact underride with PCI.