Stoughton Trailers has announced a new rear underride guard, which has completed development and testing and will be available in the fourth quarter of 2016 as a standard feature.

According to the company, the new rear underride guard adheres to the safety recommendations of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) without adding weight and without negatively impacting aerodynamics or reducing the robustness of the undercarriage and rear structure.

Stoughton’s new rear underride guard design includes two additional bolt-on vertical supports on the outer ends of the horizontal bar. All four supports are integrated into the bar and fastened to a robust undercarriage to strengthen the guard. The new underride guard will be available in painted carbon steel, galvanized steel or stainless steel options.

“After thorough testing, we are confident that this design will set the new standard for rear underride safety in our industry,” said Bob Wahlin, Stoughton’s president and chief executive officer. “We place such a high value on the safety of both our customers and the driving public that we have chosen to provide this improved level of safety and performance as a standard feature, at no additional cost.”