Columbus—Today, Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights) testified before the Senate Public Utilities Committee on Senate Concurrent Resolution 16, which urges Congress to enact legislation to require commercial trucks to install side guards.

“Legislation that would make side guards standard for commercial trucks would save lives,” said Senator Yuko. “The deadliest types of vehicle crashes are those between large commercial trucks and pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists. In the past five years, over 550 pedestrians and cyclists in the US were killed by side impacts with large commercial trucks.”

Side guards also offer the potential to reduce air drag and could save truck drivers as much as $5,000 dollars in fuel every year.

“The focus of this legislation is to make our roads safer for everyone who travels them, including the truckers who are forced to deal with dangerous situations more frequently than the average driver,” said Senator Yuko. “The costs pale in comparison to the benefits of requiring side guards to be installed on large commercial trucks.”.

A WKYC investigation highlighting the dangers of not having sides guards can be viewed here.