G/TBT/N/USA/1055/Add.1  
 
18 July 2022  
(22-5439) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION  
Addendum  
The following communication , dated  18 July 2022, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of the United States of America . 
 
_______________  
 
 
Title:  Rear Impact Guards, Rear Impact Protection  
 
Reason for Addendum:  
[ ] Comment period changed - date:   
[ ] Notified measure adopted - date:  
[X] Notified measure published - date: 15 July 2022  
[X] Notified measure enters into force - date: 11 July 2023; Effective date: This final rule is 
effective on 11 January 2023.  
Compliance date: 15 July 2024. Optional early compliance is permitted.  
Petitions for reconsideration of this final rule must be received no later than 29 August 
2022.  
[X] Text of final measure available from1:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-07-15/html/2022 -14330.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2022-07-15/pdf/2022 -14330.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/USA/final_measure/22_ 4730_00_
e.pdf 
[ ] Notified measure withdrawn or revoked - date:  
Relevant symbol if measure re -notified:   
[ ] Content or scope of notified measure changed  and text available from1:  
New deadline for comments (if applicable):   
[ ] Interpretive guidance issued and text available from1:  
[ ] Other:  
 
Description:  TITLE: Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Rear Impact Guards, Rear Impact 
Protection  
AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Department of Transportation 
(DOT)  
ACTION: Final rule  
 
1 This information can be provided by including a website address, a pdf attachment, or other 
information on where the text of the final /modified  measure and/or interpretive guidance can be obtained.  G/TBT/N/USA/1055/Add.1  
 
- 2 - 
 
  SUMMARY: This final rule upgrades NHTSA's safety standards addressing rear underride protection 
in crashes of passenger vehicles into trailers and semitrailers by adopting similar requirements to 
Transport Canada's standard for rear impact guards. Adopting these standards will require rear 
impact guards to provide sufficient strength and energy absorption to protect occupan ts of compact 
and subcompact passenger cars impacting the rear of trailers at 56 kilometers per hour (km/h) (35 
miles per hour (mph)). Upgraded protection will be provided in crashes in which the passenger motor 
vehicle hits: the center of the rear of the trailer or semitrailer; and, in which 50 percent of the width 
of the passenger motor vehicle overlaps the rear of the trailer or semitrailer. This rulemaking 
commenced in response to petitions for rulemaking from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety 
(IIHS) and from Ms. Marianne Karth and the Truck Safety Coalition (TSC). This final rule responds 
to and fulfills the rulemaking mandate of the November 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) 
that directs the Secretary to upgrade current Federal safety s tandards for rear impact guards. NHTSA 
is also issuing this final rule pursuant to DOT's January 2022 National Roadway Safety Strategy, 
which describes the five key objectives of the Department's Safe System Approach: safer people, 
safer roads, safer vehic les, safer speeds, and post -crash care. One of the key Departmental actions 
to enable safer vehicles is to issue a final rule to upgrade existing requirements for rear impact 
guards on newly manufactured trailers and semitrailers.  
DATES:  
Effective date: Th is final rule is effective on 11 January 2023.  
Compliance date: 15 July 2024. Optional early compliance is permitted.  
Petitions for reconsideration: Petitions for reconsideration of this final rule must be received no later 
than 29 August 2022.  
This final rule is identified by Docket Number NHTSA -2022-0053. The Docket Folder is available on 
Regulations.gov at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NHTSA -2022-0053/document  and provides 
access to primary documents as well as comments received. Documents are also accessible from 
Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number. WTO Members and their stakeholders are asked 
to submit petitions for rec onsideration to the USA TBT Enquiry Point  by or before 4pm Eastern Time  
on 29 August 2022. Petitions for reconsideration received by the USA TBT Enquiry Point from WT O 
Members and their stakeholders will be shared with the regulator and will also be submitted to the 
Docket  on Regulations.gov if received within the comment period.  
The notice of proposed rulemaking notified as G/TBT/N/USA/1055  are identified by Docket Number 
NHTSA -2015-0118. The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NHTSA -2015-0118/document  and provides access to primary 
and supporting documents as well as comments received. Documents are also accessible from 
Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number.  
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