I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7354 
To reduce the incidence of death by underride by enhancing underride protec-
tion on trailers, semitrailers, and single unit trucks, which will result 
in more survivable truck crashes, to improve motor carrier, passenger 
motor vehicle, and Vulnerable Road User safety, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2026 
Mr. COHEN (for himself, Mr. DESAULNIER, and Ms. ROSS) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To reduce the incidence of death by underride by enhancing 
underride protection on trailers, semitrailers, and single 
unit trucks, which will result in more survivable truck 
crashes, to improve motor carrier, passenger motor vehi-
cle, and Vulnerable Road User safety, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stop Underrides Act 
2.0’’. 
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 
(1) underride crashes involving passenger motor 
vehicles or Vulnerable Road Users, including motor-
cyclists, striking and traveling underneath a truck or 
trailer are a significant public health and safety 
threat; 
(2) the Advisory Committee on Underride Pro-
tection established under section 23011(d)(1) of the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 
30111 note; Public Law 117–58) has reported that, 
since the formation of the National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration over 50 years ago, ‘‘25,100 
underrides and 31,500 corresponding fatalities from 
side underride, rear underride, and front underride 
crashes’’ have occurred and concluded that ‘‘no sub-
stantial progress has been made by DOT to prevent 
these horrific crash fatalities and injuries’’; 
(3) the National Transportation Safety Board 
has recommended the installation of rear underride 
guards, side underride guards, and front underride 
guards on tractor-trailers and rear underride guards 
and side underride guards on single unit trucks to 
improve Vulnerable Road User and passenger motor 
vehicle safety; and 
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(4) this Act is introduced in memory of the 
thousands of victims of underride crashes, includ-
ing— 
(A) Roya Christine Sadigh, AnnaLeah 
Karth, Mary Lydia Karth, Sylvia Bingham, 
Roderick Cota, Moonjohn Kim, Corey Moore, 
Gregg Williams, Guy Champ Crawford, Carl 
Hall, 
Michael 
Higginbotham, 
Sandra 
Maddamma, David Mathis, Mary Katherine 
Mathis, James Mooney, Christopher Weigl, Bill 
Zink, David Magnan, Jasen Swift, Samuel Si-
erra, Brittany McHargue, Christopher Samuel 
Padilla, Riley Hein, Erin Alexander, Jordan 
Hensley, 
Edward 
Hall, 
Leslie 
Rosenberg, 
Sophie Rosenberg, Ally Davis, Robin Hightman, 
Alex Wolf, Devyn Killion, Dustin Bosch, Ronald 
Alleman, Ashley Marie (Walker) Ramirez, 
Minh-Thi Nguyen, and Melissa ‘‘Missy’’ De 
Leon; 
(B) those whose catastrophic injuries dra-
matically changed their lives, including Julie 
Magnan, Nancy Meuleners, Joshua Rojas, Maiv 
Yang, Anita Plantage Bomgaars, and Michael 
B. Hawkins; and 
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(C) those whose precious lives were cut far 
too short as a result of preventable underride 
crashes. 
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to reduce the number of preventable deaths 
and injuries caused by underride crashes; 
(2) to ensure the efficacy of comprehensive 
underride protection systems on roads in the United 
States; and 
(3) to improve Vulnerable Road User, motor 
carrier, and passenger motor vehicle safety. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE.—The term 
‘‘commercial motor vehicle’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 31132 of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(2) COMPREHENSIVE UNDERRIDE PROTECTION 
SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘comprehensive underride pro-
tection system’’ means all of the front underride 
guards, rear underride guards, or side underride 
guards, as applicable, installed on a commercial 
motor vehicle. 
(3) FRONT
UNDERRIDE
GUARD.—The term 
‘‘front underride guard’’ means a device installed on 
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or near the front of a commercial motor vehicle that 
prevents or limits the distance that a vehicle struck 
by the commercial motor vehicle with the device will 
slide under the front of the striking commercial 
motor vehicle. 
(4) REAR UNDERRIDE GUARD.—The term ‘‘rear 
underride guard’’ has the meaning given the term 
‘‘rear impact guard’’ in section 571.223 of title 49, 
Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor regula-
tion). 
(5) TITLE 49 TERMS.—The terms ‘‘passenger 
motor 
vehicle’’, 
‘‘semitrailer’’, 
‘‘side 
underride 
guard’’, ‘‘single unit truck’’, ‘‘trailer’’, and ‘‘Vulner-
able Road User’’ have the meanings given those 
terms in section 30102(a) of title 49, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 49 DEFINITIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 30102(a) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (11), (12), and 
(13) as paragraphs (12), (17), and (19), respec-
tively; 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (10) the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘(18) ‘trailer’ has the meaning given the term 
in section 571.3(b) of title 49, Code of Federal Reg-
ulations (or a successor regulation).’’; and 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (19) (as so re-
designated) the following: 
‘‘(20) ‘Vulnerable Road User’ has the meaning 
given the term ‘vulnerable road user’ in section 
148(a) of title 23.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Section 30102(a) of 
title 49, United States Code (as amended by subsection 
(a)), is amended— 
(1) in each of paragraphs (1) through (18), by 
striking the period at the end and inserting a semi-
colon; and 
(2) in paragraph (19), by striking the period at 
the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’. 
SEC. 5. UNDERRIDE GUARD RULEMAKING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter II of chapter 301 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘§ 30130. 
Side 
underride 
guards 
for 
trailers, 
semitrailers, and single unit trucks 
‘‘(a) RULEMAKING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Sec-
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retary shall finalize regulations that prescribe new or 
updated motor vehicle safety standards that meet 
the performance standard described in paragraph 
(2), including by requiring the installation of side 
underride guards that meet that performance stand-
ard on new trailers, semitrailers, and single unit 
trucks. 
‘‘(2) PERFORMANCE STANDARD DESCRIBED.— 
The performance standard referred to in paragraphs 
(1) and (3)(B)(i) is that side underride guards 
shall— 
‘‘(A) prevent intrusion into the occupant 
survival space of a passenger motor vehicle 
when the passenger motor vehicle is struck, or 
strikes, perpendicular to a trailer, semitrailer, 
or single unit truck at any closing speed up to 
and including 40 miles per hour; 
‘‘(B) impede a Vulnerable Road User from 
passing underneath a trailer, semitrailer, or sin-
gle unit truck in an interaction along the side 
of the trailer, semitrailer, or single unit truck; 
and 
‘‘(C) contribute to fuel efficiency through 
the integration of aerodynamic design or com-
ponents furthering fuel efficiency. 
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‘‘(3) COST-BENEFIT
ANALYSES.—In finalizing 
regulations under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
consider and calculate in any cost-benefit analysis— 
‘‘(A) the number of deaths and injuries 
among passenger motor vehicle occupants and 
Vulnerable Road Users prevented as a result of 
those regulations; and 
‘‘(B) net fuel savings, which shall be equal 
to the difference between— 
‘‘(i) the cost of fuel expected to be 
consumed by applicable motor vehicles as a 
result of the adoption of the performance 
standard described in paragraph (2); and 
‘‘(ii) the cost of fuel estimated to be 
consumed by applicable motor vehicles at 
the existing rate of voluntary adoption of 
aerodynamic 
side 
skirts 
without 
side 
underride guards as of the date on which 
those regulations are finalized. 
‘‘(b) COMPLIANCE.—The regulations finalized under 
subsection (a) shall require full compliance with the new 
or updated motor vehicle safety standards prescribed 
under that subsection not later than 2 years after the date 
on which those regulations are finalized. 
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‘‘(c) REVIEW
OF
REGULATIONS.—Beginning not 
later than 5 years after the date on which regulations are 
finalized under subsection (a), and not less frequently 
than once every 5 years thereafter, the Secretary shall de-
termine whether any update to the motor vehicle safety 
standards prescribed under that subsection is necessary 
to better prevent fatalities caused by underride crashes 
and improve roadway safety.’’. 
(b) CLARIFICATION.—If the Secretary of Transpor-
tation withdraws the advanced notice of proposed rule-
making of the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis-
tration entitled ‘‘Side Underride Guards’’ (88 Fed. Reg. 
24535 (April 21, 2023)) before the Secretary of Transpor-
tation finalizes regulations in accordance with section 
30130(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code (as added by 
subsection (a)), that withdrawal shall not affect the re-
quirement to finalize regulations in accordance with that 
section. 
(c) CLERICAL
AMENDMENTS.—The analysis for 
chapter 301 of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking the item relating to section 
30128 and inserting the following: 
‘‘30128. Vehicle rollover prevention and crash mitigation.’’; 
and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 30129 the following: 
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‘‘30130. Side underride guards for trailers, semitrailers, and single unit 
trucks.’’. 
SEC. 6. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON UNDERRIDE PROTEC-
TION. 
(a) RECONVENING OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—Not 
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall reconvene the 
Advisory Committee on Underride Protection established 
under subsection (d)(1) of section 23011 of the Infrastruc-
ture Investment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 30111 note; 
Public Law 117–58) in accordance with the requirements 
of that section. 
(b) AMENDMENTS.—Section 23011(d) of the Infra-
structure Investment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 30111 
note; Public Law 117–58) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), in the matter 
preceding clause (i), by striking ‘‘20’’ and in-
serting ‘‘22’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by striking clause (ix); 
(ii) by redesignating clause (x) as 
clause (ix); and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
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‘‘(x) Families of underride crash vic-
tims who were occupants of a passenger 
motor vehicle. 
‘‘(xi) Families of underride crash vic-
tims who were Vulnerable Road Users (as 
defined in section 30102(a) of title 49, 
United States Code).’’; 
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘meet not less 
frequently than annually’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘meet— 
‘‘(A) until final regulations have been pro-
mulgated under section 30130(a) of title 49, 
United States Code— 
‘‘(i) monthly, via conference call or a 
virtual meeting platform; and 
‘‘(ii) annually, in person, at the De-
partment of Transportation headquarters; 
and 
‘‘(B) subsequent to the issuance of the 
final regulations described in subparagraph (A), 
not less frequently than annually, in person, at 
the 
Department 
of 
Transportation 
head-
quarters, to assess the status of underride crash 
protection.’’; 
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(3) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘including 
deliberative materials,’’ after ‘‘information,’’; 
(4) in paragraph (6), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘a biennial’’ and in-
serting ‘‘an annual’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) TERMINATION
DATE.—Notwithstanding 
chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code, the Com-
mittee shall terminate on September 30, 2031.’’. 
SEC. 7. PUBLICATION OF UNDERRIDE RESEARCH, RE-
PORTS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 
(referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall pub-
lish a publicly accessible website to provide the industry, 
researchers, advocates, and the public with a repository 
of underride resources, including— 
(1) research conducted or contracted by the De-
partment of Transportation (referred to in this sec-
tion as the ‘‘Department’’) on rear underride guards 
or other rear impact guards; 
(2) research conducted or contracted by the De-
partment on side underride guards or other side im-
pact guards; 
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(3) research conducted or contracted by the De-
partment on front underride guards or other front 
impact guards; 
(4) a link to the database for the Advisory 
Committee on Underride Protection established 
under section 23011(d)(1) of the Infrastructure In-
vestment and Jobs Act (49 U.S.C. 30111 note; Pub-
lic Law 117–58), which shall be updated in a timely 
manner; 
(5) information and links relating to all 
underride rulemakings of the Department; 
(6) stories of victims of underride crashes; and 
(7) documentation of past and ongoing data 
collection relating to underride crashes. 
(b) UPDATES.—The Secretary shall update the re-
sources described in subsection (a) not less frequently 
than quarterly. 
SEC. 8. NASEM AND GAO STUDIES. 
(a) NASEM STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall seek to enter into an agreement 
with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineer-
ing, and Medicine (referred to in this subsection as 
the ‘‘National Academies’’) under which the Na-
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tional Academies shall conduct a study on the preva-
lence of crashes involving the front of large trucks, 
including the threat of those crashes on Vulnerable 
Road Users. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the National Academies completes 
the study required under paragraph (1), the Na-
tional Academies shall submit to Congress a report 
on the results of the study, which shall include— 
(A) recommendations on— 
(i) how to better prevent crashes 
where the front of large trucks contacts a 
passenger motor vehicle in a manner that 
causes the passenger motor vehicle to slide 
under the large truck; and 
(ii) how to prevent deaths resulting 
from those crashes; 
(B) a description of the efficacy of prevent-
ative or protective devices on commercial motor 
vehicles, such as front override guards, in pre-
venting deaths resulting from those crashes; 
and 
(C) statistics, since 2010, describing the 
prevalence of fatal and non-fatal crashes de-
scribed in subparagraph (A)(i), including rear 
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underride and side underride crashes, which 
shall include— 
(i) the type, make, and model of vehi-
cles involved in those crashes; 
(ii) the types of roads on which those 
crashes have occurred; and 
(iii) the number of fatalities that oc-
curred as a result of those crashes. 
(b) GAO STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller 
General of the United States (referred to in this 
subsection as the ‘‘Comptroller General’’) shall con-
duct a study on the implementation of the final rule 
of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administra-
tion entitled ‘‘Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Stand-
ards; Rear Impact Guards, Rear Impact Protection’’ 
(87 Fed. Reg. 42339 (July 15, 2022)). 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the Comptroller General completes 
the study required under paragraph (1), the Comp-
troller General shall submit to the Secretary of 
Transportation and Congress a report on the results 
of the study, which shall include— 
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(A) an analysis of the implementation of 
the final rule described in that paragraph; 
(B) if applicable, recommendations to the 
Department of Transportation describing im-
provements to that final rule or its implementa-
tion; and 
(C) recommendations to Congress and the 
Department of Transportation on how to better 
prevent underrides in crashes occurring at the 
rear of trailers, semitrailers, and single unit 
trucks. 
SEC. 9. FARS REVIEW; WEB-BASED TRAINING FOR STATE 
AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. 
(a) FARS REVIEW.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (referred 
to in this section as the ‘‘Administrator’’) shall conduct 
a review of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System of the 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to deter-
mine— 
(1) the number of fatalities in crashes reported 
as an underride crash by State or local law enforce-
ment; 
(2) the number of fatalities in crashes that were 
not reported as an underride crash by State or local 
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