A mother is warning all drivers to keep a safe distance from large trucks on roads and highways after a tragic crash in Georgia caused her car to go underneath a truck -- leading to the deaths of her two daughters.
After Marianne Karth lost her daughters in the tragic truck crash in May 2013, she joined other families to push the "Stop Underrides" message on websites and social media. The measure, which is also a bill before Congress, calls for protection on the front, sides and rear of large trucks.
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"It doesn't take much speed or force for a car to hit the back of a truck and go under," Karth said. "And people die."
Annaleah was 17, and Mary was 13.
Recently, two types of side guards were tested on large trucks to make potentially fatal collisions like Karth's more survivable.
One type, called Angel Wings, features panels that gradually stop a car from going too far under a truck. A lighter version called Safety Skirt is made of polyester webbing.
"The car crashes into it and actually gets deflected off," Karth explained.
According to Karth, the trucking industry opposes the bill because of the perceived higher costs of shipping. As a result, the bill sits idle -- like other versions before it.
"In 1969, the DOT said they were going to put underride protection on the sides of large trucks," Karth said. "That was 50 years ago."
For Karth and other affected families. the time to act is now.
"It's a crossroad," Karth said. "Are we going to let more people continue to die, or are we going to make a decision to put on protection that can stop these deaths?"
Find more information about the Stop Underrides effort online.