The Hidden Danger on California Highways: Underride Collisions and Inadequately Marked Trucks

The Hidden Danger on California Highways: Underride Collisions and Inadequately Marked Trucks

Underride collisions and inadequately marked trucks cause some of the most devastating types of truck accidents. While California’s vast network of highways, including major freight corridors like Interstate 5 and Interstate 10, is the lifeblood of the state’s economy, sharing these busy roads with large commercial trucks presents significant risks to passenger vehicles. These catastrophic crashes often occur when a passenger vehicle slides underneath a large commercial truck or trailer, bypassing the car’s built-in safety features and leading to severe injuries or fatalities. A critical, yet often overlooked, factor in many of these accidents is the inadequate marking and visibility of the trucks involved.

Understanding Underride Collisions

An underride collision happens when a smaller vehicle crashes into a large truck and gets wedged underneath the trailer. Because commercial trucks sit much higher off the ground than passenger cars, the point of impact in an underride crash is often at the windshield or roof level of the smaller vehicle. This dynamic shears off the top of the car, rendering crumple zones and airbags useless. The occupants are left exposed to the rigid, undeformed structure of the truck, frequently resulting in catastrophic head and neck trauma, spinal cord injuries, or even decapitation.

These accidents can occur at the rear, side, or front of a truck. While federal regulations mandate rear impact guards on most trailers to prevent rear underride crashes, side underride protection is not uniformly required. This regulatory gap leaves the sides of many trailers completely unguarded, posing a lethal threat to motorists, especially during lane changes or when trucks are turning across traffic.

The Role of Inadequate Markings and Poor Visibility

A significant contributor to underride collisions, particularly at night or in low-light conditions, is poor visibility. When a truck is inadequately marked, drivers of passenger vehicles may not perceive the size, distance, or speed of the truck until it is too late to avoid a collision.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has specific requirements for reflective tape on commercial vehicles to enhance their visibility. In California, commercial vehicles exceeding 10,000 pounds and 80 inches in width must use DOT-C2 reflective tape. This tape, typically in an alternating red and white pattern, must cover at least 50% of the total length of each side of the vehicle and the entire lower rear portion.

Despite these regulations, many trucks on California roads fail to maintain adequate visibility. Reflective tape can become dirty, damaged, or peel off over time. When trucking companies neglect proper maintenance and fail to replace degraded reflective markings, they create a deadly hazard. A driver approaching a poorly marked truck parked on the shoulder or slowly crossing an intersection at night may not see the trailer in time to brake, leading to a horrific underride crash.

California Truck Accident Statistics

The statistics surrounding truck accidents in California highlight the severity of the issue. In 2023, California recorded 392 truck accident fatalities, the second-highest number in the United States. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reported that in 2024, there were 12,243 large trucks involved in crashes throughout the state, resulting in 321 deaths and over 5,000 nonfatal injuries.

While not all of these fatalities are the result of underride collisions, research indicates that underride is a factor in a significant percentage of fatal crashes involving light vehicles and large trucks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has noted that underride occurs in a large majority of fatal rear-end collisions between passenger cars and trucks.

Data sourced from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and National Safety Council.

The Push for Legislative Reform

The devastating nature of underride crashes has sparked significant advocacy for stricter safety regulations. Safety advocates and families of victims have long pushed for comprehensive underride protection, including mandatory side guards.

At the federal level, the Stop Underrides Act has been introduced multiple times, most recently as the Stop Underrides Act 2.0 in 2026. This bipartisan legislation aims to require NHTSA to finalize rulemaking for side underride guards on commercial trucks, improve data collection, and mandate further research into underride prevention.

In California, state legislators have also attempted to address the issue. For instance, Senate Bill 961 initially included a provision requiring side underride guards on trucks traveling in the state. However, this mandate faced opposition from the trucking industry, citing impracticality and costs, and was eventually removed from the bill. The ongoing debate underscores the tension between implementing life-saving safety measures and the economic concerns of the freight industry.

Seeking Justice After an Underride Crash

For victims and their families, the aftermath of an underride collision is overwhelming. The catastrophic injuries sustained often require lifelong medical care, resulting in immense physical, emotional, and financial burdens.

Pursuing a legal claim in these cases is highly complex. Multiple parties may be liable, including the truck driver, the trucking company, and maintenance contractors. Trucking companies and their insurers frequently deploy aggressive tactics to minimize payouts, disputing liability or arguing that the passenger vehicle driver was at fault.

When navigating these challenging legal waters, the insights of prominent trial lawyers can be invaluable. Legal strategies often involve meticulously investigating the truck’s maintenance records, specifically looking for violations of DOT reflective tape requirements and the condition of underride guards. As trial lawyer Nick Rowley emphasizes, it is crucial to uncover the truth and hold negligent parties fully accountable for the harm they cause. Similarly, applying principles from psychologist David Ball can help in effectively communicating the profound impact of the victim’s injuries to a jury, ensuring that the human cost of the tragedy is fully understood.

Conclusion

Underride collisions remain a hidden and deadly danger on California highways. The combination of massive commercial trucks, inadequate safety guards, and poor visibility due to degraded or missing reflective markings creates a perfect storm for catastrophic accidents. While advocacy for stronger federal and state regulations continues, it is imperative that trucking companies adhere strictly to existing visibility and maintenance standards. Until comprehensive underride protection becomes a universal reality, raising awareness about the dangers of inadequately marked trucks is essential for protecting the lives of all motorists sharing the road.

The Law Offices of Ed Smith provides guidance and support to injured people and their families dealing with serious roadway collisions. Call (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400.