The next time you&#;re sitting behind a semi on the highway, you might notice a long T-shaped bar welded to the back of the trailer. If you&#;ve wondered why trucks have that metal bar in the back, you&#;re about to learn why. This device has a purpose. It&#;s called a &#;Mansfield bar&#; or an &#;underride guard&#; and serves a very important function on the truck.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website AUTONE.
This bar is meant to prevent cars from sliding underneath the trailer in the event of a rear-end collision. If a car rear-ends your car, the bumper of your car and crumple zones in the front of the other car absorb the impact and keep the cars from riding over or under each other.
Truck trailers and flatbed trailers don&#;t have bumpers. They&#;re also much higher off the ground than most cars. You may have noticed that a modern sedan would fit nicely under the chassis of a semi trailer. If one stopped suddenly in front of you, the lack of a rear bumper means that nothing would absorb the impact, and your car would continue forward under the trailer.
In , Jayne Mansfield, a blonde bombshell actress in the mode of Marilyn Monroe, died in a hideous rear-end accident with a semi. Her vehicle slid beneath the rear of the truck, shearing off the roof, and killing her and her two adult passengers instantly. Two children sleeping in the back seat survived.
The following year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) mandated all truck trailers must have rear impact guards, and the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Association (FMCSA) has incorporated rear impact guards into their guidelines. Because of the fame of the victim, the guards became known as &#;Mansfield bars.&#;
Trailer beds are 48 inches off the ground, which is industry standard for loading docks. The average sedan hood height is about 20 inches. Unfortunately, the roof height is also about 20 inches, meaning that, as Ms. Mansfield and her passengers learned, the trailer bed is a perfect height to hit the driver of a sedan in the face.
Larger passenger vehicles, like SUVs or Hummers, do not have the specific hazard of underriding that smaller cars do, but are not immune from the slicing damage that will be suffered by striking a steel deck without an impact bar.
As early as , safety-conscious truck manufacturers had begun installing various types of safety bars on the rear of some of their trailers. These were not regulated in any way but anticipated the regulations that were to be issued by the federal government in years to come.
When the rear impact guards regulation went into effect, it was poorly implemented and poorly enforced. Rear-end collisions continue to be a problem. According to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), there were on average 219 fatalities in rear-end collisions annually between and . Whether this is entirely due to improper use of impact guards, or other factors, is unclear.
There is a new push to try to get trucking companies to add side impact guards to their trailers. In , bipartisan legislation was presented in Congress recommending such requirements. The GAO report examined these suggestions, but discussions with truck manufacturers indicate that there needs to be more study and review before a recommendation mandating side impact guards could be implemented.
One of the problems facing regulators, inspectors, and even drivers is the lack of uniformity in describing an &#;underride&#; accident. Not every state defines them in the same way, and not every state reports them the same way&#;or at all. Guidance added by the FMCSA in was the first step towards standardizing rear-impact guards since the law was first passed in . Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a trend.
All safety organizations agree that the best way to avoid serious injury or death in a rear-end collision with a big rig is to avoid being in one. The following distance for a big rig should be approximately 300 feet, or approximately the length of a football field.
If you are trying to &#;draft&#; the truck to improve your gas mileage, we have bad news for you. The optimal distance for drafting (as shown in wind-tunnel tests) at 55 miles per hour is about 100 feet, or less than one-third the safe following distance for a big rig. In other words, if you&#;re trying to be clever and use the truck to help save gas, the only thing you&#;re doing is risking your life. If the truck brakes suddenly, you simply cannot stop in time to avoid hitting the truck.
To avoid side-impact collisions, minimize your time in a big rig&#;s blind spots. Don&#;t pass on the right and pass on the left as quickly as possible. Remember that the driver cannot see you while you are sitting to the left and right rear and may not realize the lane is not empty. Worse, if the semi is riding in the center lane, you could find yourself trapped in the outside lane with no way of escape if the semi swerves in your direction.
If you see a truck driving erratically, give yourself as much distance as possible. Be a good citizen and call 911 or the trucker&#;s company to report them. You may believe it isn&#;t your problem, or you don&#;t want to cause the driver trouble, but it is everyone&#;s problem if the truck is in an accident twenty miles down the road.
Finally, if you are involved in any kind of accident with a big rig, seek medical and legal advice right away. It can take several hours or days for some types of injuries to develop. Head injuries and neck and back trauma may not appear for some time, so even if you feel okay, don&#;t wait to see a doctor.
Filing an insurance claim when a commercial truck is involved is not as simple as sending in a single claim. Your injuries may be more serious, the property damage is certain to be total, and there could be multiple parties involved. Consider seeking legal assistance before filing your claims whenever you have been hit by a semi.
Since semi trucks and other large vehicles don&#;t have bumpers, they&#;re required to install Mansfield bars. But what are Mansfield bars, and how do they protect you as a driver?
Mansfield bars, also known as underride guards, are metal bars affixed to the back of semi trucks and trailers. They&#;re meant to supplement a bumper and prevent passenger cars from sliding underneath semi trucks in the event of a collision.
Named after the tragic death of actress Jayne Mansfield, Mansfield bars are a topic of debate. Although they can protect against certain serious injuries, many believe they don&#;t do enough to protect drivers.
While Mansfield bars can prevent passenger cars from sliding under semi trucks, impact with these steel bars is not necessarily a good thing. To keep yourself as safe as possible, avoid driving too close to semi-trucks and their Mansfield bars.
Our lawyers are here to help accident victims get the justice they deserve. For a free case evaluation with the Maryland truck accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call today at (410) 694-.
Have you ever wondered what those metal bars underneath semi-trucks and other large vehicles are? They&#;re called underride guards or Mansfield bars, which prevent cars from sliding underneath trucks in an attempt to avoid unnecessary car accident injuries.
Semi-trucks don&#;t have bumpers. That means nothing stops your passenger car from sliding underneath a semi-truck during an accident.
There&#;s also nothing to absorb the impact of a rear-end collision, which can prevent certain injuries. That is why Mansfield bars exist.
These metal bars, which are mandated for certain large vehicles, can absorb some impact during a rear-end collision between a passenger car and a semi-truck.
The history of Mansfield bars and their current standards have been debated for many years. While many believe that some form of make-shift bumper is necessary for semi trucks and other large vehicles, some think that the current requirements for Mansfield bars don&#;t go far enough to protect passenger car drivers in the event of an accident.
Mansfield bars are affixed to trailers and semi-trucks in order to prevent cars from sliding underneath large vehicles in the event of a rear-end collision.
These safety precautions have been altered since being federally mandated decades ago and remain a required fixture for trailers and semi-trucks. Understanding the history of Mansfield bars can help explain the reason for their existence and why they remain a feature of debate today.
As trucking became a booming industry in the latter half of the s, it also became clear that such large vehicles posed considerable dangers to other drivers on the roads.
When passenger cars followed these vehicles too closely and were unable to see around them, thus unable to anticipate potential starts and stops, rear-end collisions happened.
Unlike passenger cars, large semi trucks did not have rear bumpers, meaning there was nothing preventing cars from riding underneath a large truck, resulting in serious injuries.
In response to the growing number of injuries and deaths caused by cars riding underneath semi trucks and trailers, federal guidelines were put into place.
The company is the world’s best Fence Semi Trailer supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Certain vehicles were mandated to install underride guards, which would become known as Mansfield bars in the future, to prevent unnecessary injuries and deaths.
The first regulations for underride guards were passed in . These guidelines have been updated several times since, to include modern vehicles without bumpers.
Originally known as underride guards, Mansfield bars gained their new name about ten years after they were developed. Unfortunately, a tragic accident resulting in several deaths was the cause of the name change.
In June of , popular actress Jayne Mansfield, along with her children, lawyer, and driver, was driving along the highway late at night. Foggy weather coupled with the dark sky resulted in decreased visibility for the driver.
Lack of visibility made Mansfield&#;s driver unable to see a semi-trailer ahead of them. Unfortunately, once the semi-trailer came into view, the driver could not respond quickly enough. The car, along with its occupants, rode underneath the semi-trailer. This unfortunate accident resulted in the deaths of all the adults in the car, including Jayne Mansfield.
The tragedy caused a resurgent interest in underride guards and their importance. Quickly, the safety precaution became known as Mansfield bars, as it was thought that if the semi-trailer had underride guards, Jayne Mansfield, her driver, and her lawyer may have survived the crash.
In , changes were made to the original safety standards for underride guard safety devices or Mansfield bars. More recently, in , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) upgraded the underride system again.
NHTSA increased the required strength of Mansfield bars to reduce potential injuries and property damage to passenger car drivers that collide with underride guards at 35 miles per hour.
Compliance with NHTSA regulations is necessary, and trucking companies are responsible for regularly inspecting the efficacy of the Mansfield bars on their vehicles. Trucking companies must also stay abreast of any changes to NHTSA regulations and update Mansfield bars as safety guidelines change.
In theory, the concept of Mansfield bars is favorable to drivers who might otherwise slide underneath semi trucks and trailers and sustain serious injuries. However, current underride guard requirements might not protect all drivers on the road. Whether or not Mansfield bars do enough to keep drivers safe is still up for debate.
Currently, side Mansfield bars are not required for semi trucks and other large vehicles. If a side-impact accident occurs, nothing is stopping a passenger car from going underneath a semi-truck. Mansfield bars do not protect drivers from this possibility, only from going underneath a trailer from the rear.
While meant to supplement bumpers, Mansfield bars are not bumpers. They do not necessarily absorb energy in the same way, nor do they ensure that drivers will not sustain injuries if they rear-end a semi-truck or trailer.
In addition, the height of Mansfield bars does not prevent all passenger cars or vehicles, like motorcycles, from sliding underneath. So, drivers can still sustain serious injuries when involved in an accident with a semi-truck, despite the existence of Mansfield bars.
Underride guards can, and often do protect drivers from fatal injuries. However, these bars can cause severe damage to other vehicles.
Depending on the height of your car, an underride guard could break your windshield. If you are not wearing a seatbelt during the time of an accident, you might make an impact with a Mansfield bar yourself, which can be extremely dangerous.
The general consensus is that while Mansfield bars can prevent accidents and injuries, they may not go far enough to protect all drivers on the road. Although the NHTSA provides guidelines for Mansfield bars, trucking companies can improve upon those guidelines and install bars with better impact absorbency if they so choose.
Even though Mansfield bars might protect some drivers from serious injuries during semi-truck accidents, they don&#;t prevent collisions from happening. Remember, underride guards, are situated at the back of a semi-truck and only come in handy during a rear-end collision.
Mansfield bars do not affect the number of semi-truck accidents yearly. It&#;s possible that underride guards do prevent injuries and deaths in certain situations, although critics of these safety devices would argue they don&#;t do enough.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which is the agency that dictates regulations for Mansfield bars, releases updated statistics regarding large truck accidents annually. Interestingly, among all two-vehicle fatal crashes involving large trucks in , the most common impact point on the other vehicle was the front at 32%.
That means that in 32% of fatal collisions, passenger cars collided with the back of a large truck, where Mansfield bars would be. Again, this was the most common point of impact for fatal car accidents involving large trucks in , according to the NHTSA. The NHTSA also found that large trucks were struck in the rear about three times more often than other vehicles during the same year.
In , just under 5,000 people were killed in accidents involving large trucks. According to the NHSTA, this was a one percent decrease in fatalities from . Of the large truck accident fatalities in , about 71% of the deaths were occupants of other vehicles, like passenger cars. Compared to other drivers in , like passenger car drivers and motorcyclists, drivers of large trucks were involved in a higher percentage of fatal collisions.
Even with Mansfield bars, semi trucks are involved in many fatal car accidents each year. So, while underride guards might limit certain injuries in some cases, they do not totally prevent fatal collisions or serious injuries. This is certainly something to keep in mind when driving near semi-trucks and other large vehicles.
While Mansfield bars can prevent passenger cars from sliding underneath large trucks and trailers, they pose their own risks. Learning about common injuries caused by Mansfield bars is important so that drivers understand the risk of impact.
While they are meant to be safety devices, underride bars might cause injuries in certain circumstances. After all, they are steel bars that sit at about eye level underneath a semi-truck. They can cause serious injuries to drivers upon impact, injuries that might be similar to those victims would sustain if they slid underneath a semi-truck.
Impact with Mansfield bars can result in broken bones, serious head trauma, and even decapitation. The chances of these injuries increase when trucking companies fail to place Mansfield bars at the correct height or when passenger car drivers fail to wear their seatbelts.
The chance of injury also changes depending on the exact impact point. When passenger cars hit Mansfield bars head-on, and all the regulations are met, the chance of severe injury decreases. However, when passenger cars hit Mansfield bars at an angle, the chance of injury increases.
Speed also plays a factor in whether or not passenger car drivers might sustain a serious injury upon impact with Mansfield bars. The current NHSTA guidelines state that Mansfield bars must be able to absorb the impact of a vehicle moving at 35 miles per hour, head-on. If a passenger car collides with Mansfield bars at a higher speed, occupants may be more likely to sustain serious injuries.
If Mansfield bars did not protect you from injury during an accident with a semi-truck, call an attorney. If a semi truck&#;s underride guards fail to meet NHSTA guidelines, you might be able to file a lawsuit for compensation. Successfully filing such a claim can require a thorough investigation into a trucking company&#;s negligence, so hiring an experienced lawyer is wise.
Certain vehicles, like semi trucks and trailers, are required to have underride guards in the United States. If a large truck does not have these bars, passenger cars may be more likely to slide underneath, causing serious injuries to drivers. If you were recently injured in a collision with a semi truck because of the vehicle&#;s lack of Mansfield bars, reach out to an attorney right away.
A lawyer may be able to help you file a lawsuit against a negligent trucking company to recover compensation for your injuries. Remember, certain large vehicles must have Mansfield bars that meet the safety guidelines set by the NHSTA.
Trucking companies must also regularly inspect these safety devices to ensure they work as intended. Failure to abide by the NHSTA&#;s guidelines is considered negligence and a breach of duty of care owed to other drivers on the road. Therefore, you may be able to file a lawsuit for compensation if Mansfield bars caused your injuries during a semi truck accident.
If you were recently injured in a semi truck accident, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Ocean City truck accident lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras, call today at (410) 694-.
For more information, please visit modular low bed semi trailers.