WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.98.271
28 May 1998
(98-2230)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  UNITED STATES
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):
2. Agency responsible:  Federal Highway Administration  (15)
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where appl icable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Trailers and Semitrailers  (HS
Chapter 8716)
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Parts and Accessories
Necessary for Safe Operation;  Rear Impact Guards and Rear Impact Protection
(6 pages, English)
6. Description of content:  The Administration is proposing to amend the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to require that certain trailers and semitrailers with a gross
vehicle weight rating of 4,536 kilograms ( kg) (10,000 pounds) or more, and manufactured on
or after 26 January 1998, be equipped with rear impact guards that meet the requirements of
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 223.  The rear impact guards would be
installed to ensure that the trailer or semitrailer meets the rear impact protection requirementsof FMVSS No. 224.  This rulemaking is intended to ensure that the rear impact protection
requirements of the FMCSRs are consistent with the FMVSSs and to improve the safety of
operation of commercial motor vehicles by reducing the incidence of passenger compartment
intrusion during underride accidents in which the passenger vehicle strikes the rear of the
trailer.  With regard to trailers manufactured before 26 January 1998, the Administration isnot proposing that motor carriers be required to retrofit a rear impact guard that conforms to
FMVSS No. 223.  However, motor carriers operating these trailers would be required to
continue complying with the Administration‘s current requirements for rear impact guards
and rear impact protection.
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  Safety
8. Relevant documents:  63 FR 26759, 14 May  1998;  49  CFR Part 393.  Will appear in the
Federal Register when adopted.
9. Proposed date of adoption:
Proposed date of entry into force } To be determined
10. Final date for comments:  13 July 1998
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, e-mail and telefax number of
other body: