On April 3, 2016, in the middle of the afternoon, Jacqueline Sanchez, 21, was driving a Toyota Camry southbound on the New Jersey, Woodbridge Turnpike when she crashed into the back of a disabled tractor trailer truck that was stopped in the right-hand lane. Sanchez was pronounced dead at the scene.
New Jersey State Trooper, Lawrence Peebles confirmed that the tractor trailer truck was not pulled over off the road and remained in the far right traveling lane. It is not clear why the truck did not pull off the road entirely. The truck driver was not injured and the crash is under investigation by the New Jersey State Police.
Trucks with weak underride guards, or none at all, offer little to no protection for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians who can possibly crash into the sides or rear of a truck and trailer. Rear underride guards are required on many trucks and trailers, but the standard is antiquated and ineffective in preventing underride crashes from becoming injurious or fatal. Overall, more than 4,000 people are killed in truck crashes every year in the United States and a portion of the preventable fatal crashes involve underride.
To find more information please visit our Underride Initiative page or send an email to info@trucksafety.org