New York City will soon make select city contractors install truck side guards to improve motor vehicle safety in the city. This is part of a new law passed in October that also expedites the completion rate of truck side guard installations on city vehicles and commercial waste trucks.

The law impacts all new contracts of $2 million or more than are put in place as of January 1, 2023, according to the fleet newsletter. The Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) estimates that up to 1,000 contracts and 5,600 trucks may be impacted.

Truck side guards can prevent a pedestrian, bicyclist, motorcyclist, or child from getting run over by a large truck's rear wheels in side-impact collisions.

In 2015, city council passed a law requiring truck side guards on city fleet trucks and trucks in the commercial waste industry in New York City. More than 85% (3,760) of the city’s eligible vehicles have side guards, and all city departments except Sanitation have completed their installations.

In 2022, DCAS will conduct a vendor education effort regarding the new law and the safety importance of truck side guards, as well as establish rules for the program.