{"id":1980,"date":"2019-03-22T13:57:30","date_gmt":"2019-03-22T13:57:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/?post_type=news&p=1980"},"modified":"2026-01-06T12:15:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T12:15:55","slug":"municipalities-save-lives-with-truck-side-guards","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/news\/municipalities-save-lives-with-truck-side-guards\/","title":{"rendered":"Municipalities Save Lives with Truck Side Guards"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Municipalities Save Lives with Truck Side Guards<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Municipalities Save Lives with Truck Side Guards\n\n<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Lightweight safety barriers retrofit onto trucks to help prevent rear wheel crush hazard to cyclists and pedestrians<\/i><\/p>

In crowded city streets, one of the most deadly accidents to occur is a side impact collision between cyclists or pedestrians and municipal work trucks, including sanitation vehicles.<\/p>

\u201cDuring a crash with a truck that has high ground clearance, vulnerable road users can fall into the exposed space between the front and rear wheels and suffer fatal crushing injuries,\u201d states the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Volpe Center. \u201cNearly half of bicyclists and more than one-quarter of pedestrians killed by a large truck first impact the side of a truck.\u201d<\/p>

Fortunately, there is a solution that is already saving lives. By installing truck side guards that physically block pedestrians and cyclists from being swept underneath the vehicle\u2019s rear wheels, municipalities and even private fleets are protecting citizens, reducing liability and even potentially reducing insurance costs.<\/p>

Already mandated in certain metro areas in the U.S., these safety barriers made from aluminum or steel can be retrofitted onto existing trucks or incorporated into new vehicle fleets easily.<\/p>

This approach has already proven to be surprisingly effective in reducing fatalities. According to Volpe, following a national side guard mandate in the United Kingdom, cyclist fatalities fell 61% and pedestrian fatalities by 20% in side impact collisions with trucks. Side guards have been required since the 1980s in the European Union and Japan, and more recently in China, Brazil, and Peru.<\/p>

\u201cSide guards protect bicyclists and pedestrians against falling under a moving truck and being run over,\u201d says David Biderman, Executive Director and CEO of Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), the largest member-based solid waste association in North America. \u201cHauling companies and municipal sanitation departments that operate in congested cities should seriously consider adding them.\u201d<\/p>

Although there is no federal mandate in the U.S. yet, Volpe has set national standards as a growing number of proactive municipalities such as Boston, Orlando, Seattle, San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, D.C. utilize truck side guards.<\/p>

Volpe\u2019s recommended truck side guard standard (DOT-VNTSC-OSTR-16-05) states that Class 3 or above vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more should have underride protection. The standard includes dimensional and strength specifications for the side guards, including the ability to withstand 440 pounds of force.<\/p>

Reducing Risk<\/b><\/p>

Large trucks and buses have more difficulty making turns and seeing blind spots than smaller vehicles, due to their size, length, and driver elevation above street level. This can increase the risk of collision in populated urban areas, which can have not only cyclists sharing the road but also heavy foot traffic at corners and intersections.<\/p>

\u201cCommercial trucks of all kinds need more room to turn right because right rear wheels often turn tighter than the front wheels, which is an added risk,\u201d says Biderman. \u201cSide guards can offer important protection against tight right turns if a cyclist or pedestrian is in the mirror\u2019s blind spot on the truck\u2019s right side.\u201d<\/p>

Biderman added that another danger occurs as pedestrians become increasingly distracted, often texting, using smartphones, or listening to music via earbuds. This can make them less aware of their surroundings and more prone to have an accident.<\/p>

\u201cAdding side guards can also be an effective way of preventing distracted pedestrians from getting seriously injured or worse if they step into the path of a moving truck,\u201d says Biderman.<\/p>

One of the nation\u2019s highest profile uses of truck side guards so far occurs in New York City, which is requiring the safety barrier on 10,000 vehicles by 2024 as part of its Vision Zero Action Plan for ending traffic deaths and injuries.<\/p>

To comply with New York City\u2019s Vision Zero program and Volpe, Action Carting Environmental Services, a provider of non-hazardous waste management services for New York City and New Jersey, chose to retrofit its fleet of trucks with side guards.<\/p>

\u201cWe have retrofitted about 60 trucks with side guards from Dur-A-Guard, which is Vision Zero and Volpe compliant,\u201d says Ken Levine, former Corporate Safety Director at Action Carting. \u201cUsing side guards is one of the most cost effective ways of reducing crash severity with cyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians on busy city streets. It is an inexpensive way to avoid a potentially catastrophic situation.\u201d<\/p>

According to Levine, Dur-A-Guard, a Union, NJ-based manufacturer of truck side guards, worked with him to accommodate the various makes, models, and configurations of his fleet.<\/p>

\u201cThey custom fit the side guards with all of our trucks, even those with tanks, toolboxes, sidewalls, and bodywork,\u201d says Levine.<\/p>

Such side guards do not need to be permanently welded onto trucks.<\/p>

To ease installation and maintenance, some companies like Dur-A-Guard offer side guards that lift up or swing down on hinges to offer access beneath the truck. Another high-density, aluminum design is lightweight enough to be removed by one person.<\/p>

\u201cWe looked into the swing up, swing down type side guards, which could help provide access under the truck, but liked the removable ones better,\u201d says Levine. \u201cOne person can easily pull off the removable guards for maintenance and then put them back on.\u201d<\/p>

According to SWANA\u2019s Biderman, while it makes sense to have some uniformity to the side guards, the problem is there are many truck chassis used in the solid waste industry.<\/p>

\u201cEven one company with ten trucks will have very different makes and models so it becomes challenging to provide a single sized side guard that works across an entire company\u2019s fleet,\u201d says Biderman.<\/p>

Since Dur-A-Guard has adapted the safety barriers to a full range of vehicle variations, however, the company created a universal design that accommodates most trucks, which can be shipped nationally.<\/p>

\u201cAnyone involved with truck safety should look into side guards,\u201d says Levine. \u201cThose with a universal design would be helpful to cities or municipalities, which could get them drop-shipped and have their maintenance department install them.\u201d<\/p>

Levine sums up the key point for municipalities. \u201cTruck side guards save lives,\u201d concludes Levine. \u201cIf you can save a life, what price tag can you put on that?\u201d<\/p>

For more info: call 908-688-0800 x202 or x223; Fax 908-688-0718; visit www.dur-a-guard.com; email jberwick@durexinc.com or sgervasi@durexinc.com; or write to Dur-A-Guard at 5 Stahuber Ave, Union NJ 07083.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Municipalities Save Lives with Truck Side Guards Municipalities Save Lives with Truck Side Guards Lightweight safety barriers retrofit onto trucks to help prevent rear wheel crush hazard to cyclists and pedestrians In crowded city streets, one of the most deadly accidents to occur is a side impact collision between cyclists or pedestrians and municipal work trucks, including sanitation vehicles. \u201cDuring a crash with a truck that has high ground clearance, vulnerable road users can fall into the exposed space between the front and rear wheels and suffer fatal crushing injuries,\u201d states the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Volpe Center. \u201cNearly half of bicyclists and more than one-quarter of pedestrians killed by a large truck first impact the side of a truck.\u201d Fortunately, there is a solution that is already saving lives. By installing truck side guards that physically block pedestrians and cyclists from being swept underneath the vehicle\u2019s rear wheels, municipalities and even private fleets are protecting citizens, reducing liability and even potentially reducing insurance costs. Already mandated in certain metro areas in the U.S., these safety barriers made from aluminum or steel can be retrofitted onto existing trucks or incorporated into new vehicle fleets easily. This approach has already proven to be surprisingly effective in reducing fatalities. According to Volpe, following a national side guard mandate in the United Kingdom, cyclist fatalities fell 61% and pedestrian fatalities by 20% in side impact collisions with trucks. Side guards have been required since the 1980s in the European Union and Japan, and more recently in China, Brazil, and Peru. \u201cSide guards protect bicyclists and pedestrians against falling under a moving truck and being run over,\u201d says David Biderman, Executive Director and CEO of Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), the largest member-based solid waste association in North America. \u201cHauling companies and municipal sanitation departments that operate in congested cities should seriously consider adding them.\u201d Although there is no federal mandate in the U.S. yet, Volpe has set national standards as a growing number of proactive municipalities such as Boston, Orlando, Seattle, San Francisco, New York City, and Washington, D.C. utilize truck side guards. Volpe\u2019s recommended truck side guard standard (DOT-VNTSC-OSTR-16-05) states that Class 3 or above vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more should have underride protection. The standard includes dimensional and strength specifications for the side guards, including the ability to withstand 440 pounds of force. Reducing Risk Large trucks and buses have more difficulty making turns and seeing blind spots than smaller vehicles, due to their size, length, and driver elevation above street level. This can increase the risk of collision in populated urban areas, which can have not only cyclists sharing the road but also heavy foot traffic at corners and intersections. \u201cCommercial trucks of all kinds need more room to turn right because right rear wheels often turn tighter than the front wheels, which is an added risk,\u201d says Biderman. \u201cSide guards can offer important protection against tight right turns if a cyclist or pedestrian is in the mirror\u2019s blind spot on the truck\u2019s right side.\u201d Biderman added that another danger occurs as pedestrians become increasingly distracted, often texting, using smartphones, or listening to music via earbuds. This can make them less aware of their surroundings and more prone to have an accident. \u201cAdding side guards can also be an effective way of preventing distracted pedestrians from getting seriously injured or worse if they step into the path of a moving truck,\u201d says Biderman. One of the nation\u2019s highest profile uses of truck side guards so far occurs in New York City, which is requiring the safety barrier on 10,000 vehicles by 2024 as part of its Vision Zero Action Plan for ending traffic deaths and injuries. To comply with New York City\u2019s Vision Zero program and Volpe, Action Carting Environmental Services, a provider of non-hazardous waste management services for New York City and New Jersey, chose to retrofit its fleet of trucks with side guards. \u201cWe have retrofitted about 60 trucks with side guards from Dur-A-Guard, which is Vision Zero and Volpe compliant,\u201d says Ken Levine, former Corporate Safety Director at Action Carting. \u201cUsing side guards is one of the most cost effective ways of reducing crash severity with cyclists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians on busy city streets. It is an inexpensive way to avoid a potentially catastrophic situation.\u201d According to Levine, Dur-A-Guard, a Union, NJ-based manufacturer of truck side guards, worked with him to accommodate the various makes, models, and configurations of his fleet. \u201cThey custom fit the side guards with all of our trucks, even those with tanks, toolboxes, sidewalls, and bodywork,\u201d says Levine. Such side guards do not need to be permanently welded onto trucks. To ease installation and maintenance, some companies like Dur-A-Guard offer side guards that lift up or swing down on hinges to offer access beneath the truck. Another high-density, aluminum design is lightweight enough to be removed by one person. \u201cWe looked into the swing up, swing down type side guards, which could help provide access under the truck, but liked the removable ones better,\u201d says Levine. \u201cOne person can easily pull off the removable guards for maintenance and then put them back on.\u201d According to SWANA\u2019s Biderman, while it makes sense to have some uniformity to the side guards, the problem is there are many truck chassis used in the solid waste industry. \u201cEven one company with ten trucks will have very different makes and models so it becomes challenging to provide a single sized side guard that works across an entire company\u2019s fleet,\u201d says Biderman. Since Dur-A-Guard has adapted the safety barriers to a full range of vehicle variations, however, the company created a universal design that accommodates most trucks, which can be shipped nationally. \u201cAnyone involved with truck safety should look into side guards,\u201d says Levine. \u201cThose with a universal design would be helpful to cities or municipalities, which could get them drop-shipped and have their maintenance department install them.\u201d Levine<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1980","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/1980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/1980\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1984,"href":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/1980\/revisions\/1984"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/web4.4imidev.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}