"Large trucks account for five percent of the vehicles in the United States but play a role in ten percent of fatal accidents. A fully loaded eighteen-wheeler can weigh eighty thousand pounds."
"Witnesses and survivors of such accidents have likened the sound of impact to a bomb blast. When a car rear-ends a tractor-trailer, it can result in a grisly scenario known as 'underride,' in which the lower half of the car wedges beneath the trailer."
"In 1967, the actress Jayne Mansfield perished when a Buick she was riding in crashed into a tractor-trailer; afterward, rear-impact guards—colloquially known as Mansfield bars—became a standard feature on the back of trucks."
"In most of Europe, similar barriers line the sides of cargo trailers, preventing cars from sliding laterally beneath a big rig. But in the U.S. the trucking industry has resisted the introduction of such additional safeguards."
Three million tractor-trailers operate on American highways daily, contributing to significant road safety concerns. They represent 5% of vehicles but are involved in 10% of fatal accidents, with over 5,000 deaths each year, primarily affecting occupants of smaller vehicles. The immense weight and size of eighteen-wheelers create dangerous scenarios, especially during collisions. The phenomenon of 'underride' can lead to catastrophic outcomes, prompting the introduction of safety features like Mansfield bars. However, the U.S. trucking industry has resisted further safety measures found in Europe.
Read at The New Yorker
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