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Month: September 2026

Nearly 22 Years Later, I’m Still Asking: How Many More Lives Must Be Lost?

Nearly 22 Years Later, I’m Still Asking: How Many More Lives Must Be Lost?

Nearly 22 years ago, my beautiful daughter, Roya, was killed in a truck underride crash.

Nothing prepares a parent for the loss of a child. The pain does not disappear with time. We carry it with us every day. Roya’s life was taken in an instant, and the heartbreak continues for everyone who loved her.

But what makes her death—and the deaths of so many others—especially heartbreaking is this: Truck underride is not a new problem.

It has been known for nearly 100 years. And side underride remains a devastating danger even though solutions exist to help prevent these catastrophic crashes.

How many lives have been lost to underride? I wish I could give you an exact number. The truth is, we cannot. Underride deaths have historically been difficult to identify and accurately capture in crash and fatality data. That means the true human toll may be far greater than the numbers we see in official statistics.

How much is your life worth?

Behind every number is a person. A daughter like Roya. A son. A husband. A wife. A mother or father. A friend whose life was taken far too soon—and a family left to live with the unimaginable consequences. This should matter to all of us.

Underride is not simply a trucking issue. It is a highway-safety issue that can affect any one of us when we share the road with a tractor-trailer.

We should all know about underride. We should all care about underride. And we should all demand that preventable deaths are not accepted as the price of mobility but rather installing underride protection on all large trucks should be accepted as a normal cost of doing business.

Please take a few minutes to learn more about truck underride, the devastating consequences of these crashes, and the solutions that can help save lives. Then share what you learn. Talk about it. Ask questions. Contact your elected representatives and transportation officials. And ask the trucking and trailer manufacturing industries to support proven measures that can prevent underride crashes and save lives.

I cannot bring Roya back. But I can continue to tell her story. And I can continue to fight so that another family doesn’t have to learn what mine learned nearly 22 years ago:

The loss of a child is forever. Underride was a death sentence for Roya and a life sentence for her family.

Please learn more. Please speak up. Please help us demand action. Because the next life saved could be someone you love.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

In Memory Of Roya; A Sister’s Loving Tribute

In Memory Of Roya; A Sister’s Loving Tribute

Roya Christine Sadigh, a bright and vibrant light in the lives of all who knew her, was born on June 19, 1978, in St. Charles, Illinois, and left this world far too soon on November 24, 2004, at the age of 26.

Roya grew up surrounded by the love of her family and the close-knit community of St. Charles. From a young age she stood out—as a competitive gymnast who brought focus, strength, and determination to every routine, as a gifted student who excelled in her studies, and as an artistic soul whose creativity added color and beauty to the world around her. Those same qualities followed her into adulthood. She was kind in a way that made people feel seen, funny in a way that could lighten even the heaviest moments, and fiercely dedicated to the people and principles she held dear. Roya stood firmly in her beliefs and lived with a quiet strength that inspired those around her.

Her Christian faith was a cornerstone of her life, guiding her with grace and conviction. She loved her family deeply and without reservation—her father, Parviz Sadigh, her mother, Lois Hawkins, and her siblings, Anthony, Cyrus, and Sarah, were the heart of her world. That same devoted love extended outward to her many friends and family, all of whom felt the rare gift of being truly cared for by Roya. Though she never had the chance to meet them, her love continues through the next generation—her nieces and nephews Cameron, Hannah, Ames, Miriam, Maeve, Peyton, Jacob, and Evelyn. Three of her nieces proudly carry her name as a living tribute to the aunt they know through stories, photographs, and the lasting imprint she left on their family.

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree from Judson University, Roya stepped into a promising career in medical sales. She brought the same dedication, intelligence, and integrity to her work that she had shown as a student and athlete, and those who worked alongside her recognized the bright future that lay ahead of her.

Though her time with us was heartbreakingly brief, Roya left a lasting imprint. She was the friend who made you laugh until you cried, the sister and daughter who loved without condition, and the young woman whose fierce loyalty, artistic spirit, and gentle strength made the world feel a little brighter. At this 30th high school reunion, we gather not only in sorrow for what was lost, but in gratitude for the gift of having known her.

Roya is survived by her father, Parviz Sadigh; her mother, Lois Hawkins, and stepfather, Mark Hawkins; her siblings, Anthony, Cyrus, and Sarah; and by the many friends and family whose lives were forever touched by hers. Her memory also lives on in her nieces and nephews: Cameron, Hannah, Ames, Miriam, Maeve, Peyton, Jacob, and Evelyn.

Her memory continues to live on in the laughter she shared, the faith she carried, the beauty she created, and the love she so freely gave.

In the years since Roya’s passing, her mother, Lois Hawkins, has devoted considerable time and energy to advocating for side underride protection on large trucks. These safety measures could help prevent similar tragedies and make such collisions more survivable. Those who wish to learn more or support this important work are invited to visit stopunderrides.org.

In Memory of My Beloved Sister Roya,

Sarah Larimore

CMV Safety Summit Showcases Underride Crash Tests

CMV Safety Summit Showcases Underride Crash Tests

The FMCSA and the Institute for Transportation Research & Education at North Carolina State co-hosted of the Commercial Motor Vehicle 2026 Safety Summit in Raleigh, North Carolina August 10-11, 2026. The organizers invited AnnaLeah & Mary for Truck Safety (ALMFTS) to arrange an underride crash testing demonstration by Aaron Kiefer (Collision Safety Consulting) and a volunteer TEAM Underride Crash Test Crew — as part of the Technology Showcase held at the NC State Highway Patrol training facility on August 11.

Educational resources available to participants at the STOP Underrides/Collision Safety Consulting booth in the Exhibit Hall and the Technology Showcase are provided here digitally:

Here is Video Footage from the Crash Tests:

  • Crash test into the side of a trailer WITH a side impact/underride guard at 39 mph
  • Crash test into the side of a trailer WITHOUT a side impact/underride guard at 40 mph

Media Coverage:

We know this unique opportunity to showcase the technical feasibility of underride protection could not have been accomplished without the commitment to safety evidenced by so many people. We are grateful to the individuals and organizations whose donations made this demonstration of life-saving technology possible — including gifts given in memory of several underride victims, as well as an engineer who made significant contributions to underride research. Additionally, we are thankful to the 25 members of the TEAM Underride Crash Test Crew, who volunteered their time and skills from around the country, as well as the help and resources from the NC State Highway Patrol, AWP Safety, and the Garner Fire Department.

Recent Relevant Research Reports & Recommendations on Side Underride Guards:

Crash Test Into Side of Trailer — No Side Guard 2026 (livestreamed on Facebook) Crash testing, of a car colliding with the side of a tractor trailer at 40 mph as part of the 2026 CMV Safety Summit in Raleigh, was live streamed on Facebook by a member of the crash test crew from a spectator viewpoint on a hill above the crash course. The driver and a front seat passenger would not have survived.

[Note: This is a website post from AnnaLeahMary.com on August 12, 2026.]

Will NHTSA Finally Give An Accurate Accounting Of A Side Guard’s True Cost & Worth?

Will NHTSA Finally Give An Accurate Accounting Of A Side Guard’s True Cost & Worth?

On September 1, 2026, NHTSA published in the Federal Register a Request for Correction of Information under the Information Quality Act “Side Impact Guards for Combination Truck Trailers: Cost-Benefit Analysis” Docket No. NHTSA-2023-0012; RIN 2127-AM54, submitted to NHTSA by Eric Hein on August 29, 2026.

Request for Correction of Information IQA SIG Truck Trailers CBA NHTSA-2023-0012-2098_attachment_3

This letter, which CC’ed Mava Lewis, Office of the General Counsel at the USDOT, and Jonathan Morrison, the NHTSA Administrator, was accompanied by two documents:

I know that it took me awhile to get through Eric’s 20+ pages; he was very thorough. So I took some time to create a chart to give you a relatively quick overview of the flaws which he found in NHTSA’s 2023 Side Impact Guard Cost Benefit Analysis and the Requests for Correction which he is reasonably asking for. After all, the risk of Death By Underride is ongoing.

MyCliffsNotes – IQA SIG Request for Correction (September 2026)

I’d like to know what you think.

[Note: This is a website post from AnnaLeahMary.com on September 3, 2026.]