WHEREAS, when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued Safety Standard Nos. 223 and 224, Rear Impact Guards and Rear Impact Protection, single unit trucks were not included; and

WHEREAS, NHTSA cited an under-representation of rear-end collisions involving this type of vehicle, and reasoned that their immediate inclusion in the Safety Standards would not have a substantial positive impact upon safety and would place an undue economic burden on the trucking industry; and

WHEREAS, a significant number of fatalities still occur as a result of a vehicle colliding with the rear end of a single unit truck; and

WHEREAS, due to the vague rear end protection requirements that currently exist for single unit trucks, it is often questionable as to whether the existing protection devices are properly placed or substantial enough to prevent under-ride, or the protection is so rigid that little or no energy absorbing deformation would occur upon impact; and

WHEREAS, extending Safety Standard Nos. 223 and 224 to include single unit trucks will enhance safety by ensuring effective under-ride protection and energy absorbing rear impact guards exist in the event of a rear end collision with one of these vehicles; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP support the inclusion of single unit trucks into Safety Standard Nos. 223 and 224, Rear Impact Guards and Rear Impact Protection, and petition the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to ensure this is accomplished.