[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 202 (Tuesday, December 12, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      STOP UNDERRIDES ACT OF 2017

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 12, 2017

  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Stop Underrides Act, 
a bipartisan, bicameral bill I introduced earlier today along with my 
colleague on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Rep. 
DeSaulnier from California, and in the Senate, Senators Gillibrand and 
Rubio, to prevent deadly truck underride crashes.
  An underride crash is when a car slides under the body of a large 
truck, such as a semi-trailer, during an accident. In these instances, 
the safety features of passenger vehicles are not able to prevent 
passenger compartment intrusion and often result in severe or fatal 
injuries even at low speeds.
  Too many lives have been lost or forever altered by these preventable 
crashes and the time has come for Congress to act.
  The Stop Underrides Act does just that--lays out a path to bring an 
end to these terrible and all too often fatal accidents by requiring 
all large truck trailers to have front, side, and rear underride 
guards.
  These guards, if installed would have likely prevented the death of 
Michael Higginbotham, who was killed in an underride crash in Memphis 
and whose parents, Randy and Laurie Higginbotham, have inspired me to 
take action on this long overdue issue.
  It's simple. This legislation will save lives, it's the right thing 
to do, and that is the bottom line.
  This is common sense legislation and I urge my colleagues to support 
the passage of the Stop Underrides Act.

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