ADAC test: Underride protection on trucks almost ineffective

Consumer Protection Underride Protection on Trucks Nearly Ineffective

2026-07-01 From Holger Holzer/SP-X | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

Those who rear-end a truck at the end of a traffic jam have little chance of survival. Underride protection doesn't change that either.

Those who rear-end a truck at the end of a traffic jam have little chance of survival.(Image: ADAC) — Those who rear-end a truck at the end of a traffic jam have little chance of survival.
(Image: ADAC)

The legally mandated underride protection for trucks is deemed by ADAC to be insufficiently effective in rear-end collisions. In a test conducted by the automobile club, the system was almost ineffective: when a car traveling at 56 km/h (approx. 35 mph) collided with the rear of the trailer, the connection of the underride protection tore off, the car slid under the trailer, and was torn open up to the B-pillar.

Another test by Euro NCAP in the UK reportedly came to a similar conclusion according to ADAC. The trailer's loading area penetrated the passenger compartment. Such accidents often end fatally because the passenger compartment is severely deformed, and safety systems such as seat belts or airbags are barely effective.

Emergency Braking Assistants are Effective at Low Speeds

Emergency braking assistants in modern cars were also tested. At low speeds, many of the seven models examined detected the truck replica and braked in time. However, at highway speeds, the technology was insufficient according to ADAC: at 130 km/h (approx. 80 mph), none of the systems could have prevented the collision. In light of this, the club calls for stricter approval requirements at the UN level as well as support for retrofitting existing commercial vehicles.

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.