Of the countless advancements and improvements made to cars over the last decades, the one that has the greatest impact on your life, that is until you need it, is your car’s crash-worthiness.
There’s an old, yet still good, video on the web that demonstrates what happens when a 2009 Chevy Malibu comes into contact with a pristine 1959 Chevy Bel Air. The result ain’t pretty.
But despite the incredible evolution in safety, there remains an important issue when it comes to semi-trailers. Distracted driving could be one reason why someone would accidentally rear-end a trailer but one thing is certain, at any speed above 30 mph (45 km/h), you may not live long enough to be less distracted next time you hit the road.
The under-ride guards, or trailer bumpers if you prefer, fail to provide adequate protection and prevent cars from submarining under the trailer. Because the under-ride guards are too weak, they do not allow the car’s safety structure to deform and absorb the crash energy.
