Big Rig Crashes Motor Carriers Don’t Want You to Know About
Truck underride crashes are a nightmare you don’t see coming—cars slide under trailers, roofs shear off, and lives end fast. It’s a brutal, quiet killer that the trucking industry downplays, but the wreckage tells the truth. Over 500 die yearly, and Kentucky’s highways, like I-65, see their share. Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers in Louisville knows this beast—winning big for victims and pushing for change. Here’s why underrides are hell, who’s ducking blame, and how we turn tragedy into justice.
What’s an Underride Crash?
Picture this: a semi’s trailer looms high, too high. You hit it, and your car doesn’t stop—it slides under. No crumple zone, no airbag saves you; the trailer’s edge slices through. NHTSA says underrides kill 500+ annually, with thousands more injured. Rear-end underrides dominate, but side hits on I-64 or I-71 are just as deadly. Truckers call it “the guillotine.”
Why It’s Still Happening
The fix? Rear and side guards—steel bars to stop the slide. They’ve been mandatory on new trailers since 1998 but are weak. A 2021 NHTSA rule bumped rear guard strength, yet old rigs roll on, and side guards? Still optional NHTSA Underride Rule. FMCSA crash data ties 11% of fatal truck wrecks to rear impacts—underrides lurk in there.
Causes of underride deaths:
Cheap Guards: Flimsy steel fails—Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests show cars shredding during
No Side Protection: 70% of trailers lack side guards—open season for underrides
Speed and Visibility: Night runs on I-65, no reflectors—drivers don’t see the trap till it’s too late
Big Rigs, Bigger Denials
Carriers dodge hard. FedEx (1,030 crashes, 23 fatal) and UPS (2,476 crashes, 76 fatal) run massive fleets, and many lack side guards. They’ll claim “driver fault” or “unavoidable”—proper scrutiny often refutes that. UPS touts safety cash, but underride deaths don’t budge.
Sam Aguiar’s Fight: A Real Win
Underrides are brutal, technical, and winnable—Sam Aguiar’s got the edge. We’ve crushed it in Louisville, know Kentucky’s roads, and shred carrier excuses. Do local victims or attorneys nationwide need a referral? We’re it. “Underride truck accident lawyer” or “Kentucky underride crash attorney”: we own that search, because we own the fight.
Wrap Up
Underrides are a silent slaughter. Weak guards, cheap fixes, and companies that don’t care. Sam Aguiar Injury Lawyers doesn’t blink. We dig, win, and push for better. Wrecked by an underride in Kentucky or beyond? We’ll take care of getting you paid. This isn’t their secret anymore. It’s our weapon.