Truck Safety Devices

MassDOT is taking steps to make our roadways safer across the Commonwealth by equipping vehicles with new safety devices. These devices will help prevent crashes and save lives. Please check back regularly as this page will be updated as information becomes available

The Act to Reduce Traffic Fatalities (Chapter 358 of the Acts of 2022 amended M.G.L. c. 90, § 7) requires A registered motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer or semi-trailer unit classified as a class 3 or above by the Federal Highway Administration, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, that is leased or purchased by the commonwealth on or after January 1, 2023, or operated under a contract executed with the Commonwealth on or after January 1, 2025, must be equipped truck safety devices. This regulation also applies to snow and ice removal and Commonwealth towing contracts executed on or after July 1, 2025. Applicable vehicles operated under a contract executed with the Commonwealth must comply and certify compliance beginning 12/31/25 through the RMV portal. 

• Lateral protective device
• Convex mirrors
• Crossover mirrors
• Back up camera

Refer to the sections below for details.

Truck Safety Devices

• Lateral protective device

A Lateral Protective Device (LPD) is commonly called a “Side Guard” and covers up the space between the front and rear wheels of a vehicle or trailer. They are mandated in over 30 countries and have been proven to reduce the severity of a crash. This is especially true with crashes that involve a person on a bicycle or a pedestrian and a large truck. In the United States, USDOT Volpe National Transportation Systems Center has developed best practice guidance that is followed by dozens of cities around the country and now by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 

• Side Guard Standard DOT-VNTSC-OSTR-16-05, as amended, lateral protective devices or side guards on vehicles that are subject to the provisions of this section shall be installed, throughout their length, to offer effective protection to vulnerable users against the risk of falling under the sides of the vehicle and being caught under the wheels. Lateral Protective Devices shall meet the following requirements: 
  • Allow for a maximum 13.8 inch ground clearance;
  • Allow for a maximum 13.8 inch top clearance;
  • Allow for a maximum horizontal distance between the front tire (cabover trucks) and the lateral protective device of 11.8”, however, if the front tire is located next to a step or tank, the maximum horizontal distance from the front tire to the lateral protective device shall be 3.9”, and if the front tire is located next to landing gear (semi-trailer), the maximum horizontal distance from the front tire to the lateral protective device shall be 9.8”;
  • Be recessed a maximum of 1.2” from the face of the front and rear tires;
  • Have a minimum impact strength of 440 pounds applied perpendicularly to any part of its surface by the center of a ram the face of which is circular and not more than 8.5 inches in diameter;
  • Be essentially rigid and securely mounted and shall not be liable to loosening due to vibration in normal use of the vehicle;
  • Achieve a smooth and continuous longitudinal impact surface flush with the vehicle or tire sidewall, whichever creates the outermost plane of the vehicle;
  • May include rail type guards, provided that such rails shall not be less than 4 inches tall and not more than 11.8 inches apart; and
  • May incorporate other vehicle features, such as tool boxes and ladders, or the function of a lateral protective device may be performed by those features, subject to approval of the Registrar.

• Convex mirrors
  • Vehicles that are subject to the provisions of this section shall be equipped with convex mirrors that are door mounted, wide-angle mirrors that enable an operator to see objects along the left and right sides of a motor vehicle, trailer, semi-trailer or semi-trailer unit.

• Crossover mirrors
  • Crossover mirrors help a driver see directly in-front of the vehicle. Vehicles that are subject to the provisions of this section shall be equipped with a mirror mounted on a hood or fender that enables the operator to see objects in the area immediately in front of a conventional cab hood.  

• Backup cameras
  • Vehicles that are subject to the provisions of this section shall  meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111, 49 CFR 571.111(S6.2(b))-(S6.2.7).

• Trailer Side Skirt vs. Sideguard

The lateral protective device (side guards) requirement also applies trailers with a GVWR over 10,000lbs. Some may think that many trailers are already equipped with side guards. While similar in appearance, often they are truck skirts. Sometimes called "aero skirts,” “fairings,” or “wind skirts” designed to improve fuel efficiency. Not all skirts meet the requirements to prevent an underride crash. Skirts are generally made of flexible materials like fiberglass, rubber, or aluminum. These flexible trailer skirts are typically installed to improve fuel economy. They may not provide enough rigidity to provide protection unless they are specifically advertised as meeting the USDOT Volpe best practice specification strength requirement. In contrast, trailer side guards are designed to withstand the force of a crash and prevent side under-ride. They may also provide fuel saving. When equipping your trailer be sure to pick a product that has been tested and certified to meet the USDOT Volpe Best Practice Specification for sizing and strength.     

 

Certification and Waiver Process

Certification

Owners of a motor vehicle that is subject to the Act must certify that the motor vehicle is equipped with Lateral Protective Devices, Convex Mirrors, Cross Over Mirrors, and Back Up Cameras.  The certification and required documentation will be submitted online to RMV.

MassDOT has created a user-friendly system that allows State Agencies and their contractors to submit certification requests, as well as track their vehicles. The portal is live and ready for use, allowing vehicles to be submitted for review well in advance of the deadline, December 31, 2025.

• The portal also provides an option to request a waiver for a particular device or to demonstrate one of the pre-approved alternative compliance methods for your vehicle(s).
• Each Agency needs at least one application reviewer, preferably 2-3 reviewers with email addresses that are registered in the system to review contractor submissions.
• Reviewers should be comfortable with navigating computers/mobile applications to check  submissions for completeness.
• Expertise in vehicles or devices is not required.

Waiver

Owners of motor vehicles that are subject to the truck safety devices may apply for a waiver from any or all of the requirements listed above.

• A vehicle cannot comply with the requirements in this section due to the design, operation or other safety considerations relating to the vehicle; or
• A vehicle is designed such that its shape, characteristics or component parts can be regarded as an adequate replacement or a functional equivalent substitute for the requirements herein.
• MassDOT is currently designing a smooth process for requesting a waiver from one of the safety devices for a vehicle or trailer. This page will be updated with guidance on this in the near future, including examples of vehicles that have received specific types of waivers. 

The list below outlines the eligible waiver reasons for certain vehicles and equipment based on their design. Please note that vehicles with waivers must still be submitted to the portal, and only the specified device is eligible—not all required devices. This list is intended to clarify which waivers may be approved, helping to minimize the risk of waiver rejection.

Eligible Waiver Reasons
Vehicle/Equipment Type	Waived Device
Class 1-4 stock pickup trucks with standard stock pickup truck beds (for example, Ford F-series, Chevrolet Silverado series, Dodge Ram series, GMC Sierra series, not including dump bodies, rack bodies)	Left and Right Side Guards
Hi-Rail Vehicles	Left and Right Side Guards
Low-Boy Trailers	Left and Right Side Guards
Sweepers	Left and Right Side Guards
Stretch or Extendable Trailers	Sideguards are required on the non-moving portion of the trailer when the trailer is in its most contracted setting. Side guards are not required on the portion of the trailer that extends.
Tapered Trailers	Side guards are required on the portions of the trailer that are parallel to the wheels. The tapered tongue portion of the trailer does not need to have side guards installed.

Exemptions

The truck safety device requirements do not apply to the following vehicles:

• Ambulances, and other emergency medical vehicles
• Firefighting vehicles
• Low speed vehicle as defined in MGL c. 90, § 1
• Agricultural tractors
• Commonwealth owned vehicles leased or purchased before January 1, 2023
• Vehicles 10,001lbs and above operated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under an emergency contract with the Commonwealth or in service of a declared federal, state, or local emergency until such emergency contract lapses or a permanent contract is executed in its place
• Vehicles 10,001lbs operating under a municipal contract and grant program funded with state aid through Commonwealth Agencies, such as a Chapter 30 Program, Municipal Small Bridge, Complete Streets
• Any other class or type of vehicle as determined by the Registrar
• The Highway Administrator may make a recommendation to the Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, to exempt snow removal vehicles and tow operation vehicles under contract with the Commonwealth from the requirements for special safety equipment.  The Secretary, in consultation with the Registrar, may issue an exemption for these vehicles on such roadways that are deemed to be low risk for vulnerable user interaction. 

Please email [e-mail] with any questions. 

Check back often as this content will be updated regularly

Alternative Means of Compliance

An Alternative Means of Compliance (AMC) can be used when a vehicle's characteristics or components can serve as an adequate replacement or functional and safety equivalent to the requirements for Lateral Protective Devices, Convex Mirrors, or Cross-Over Mirrors. Alternative Means of Compliance for back-up cameras are not permitted by the law. Please note that vehicles with Alternative Means of Compliance must still be submitted to the portal. Here is the current list of eligible Alternative Means of Compliance:

Truck Safety Device	Alternative Means of Compliance
Lateral Protective Device (Side Guards)	Any combination of the vehicle body, fuel tanks, tag axles, toolboxes, or custom side guards that form a smooth surface flush with the vehicle’s sidewall, while meeting all required dimensional and strength specifications.
Crossover Mirrors & Convex Mirrors	360-degree camera monitoring system (CMS)  The 360 CMS fulfills the compliance requirement for backup cameras

Guidance for Contractors

In preparation for January 1, 2025, the effective date of the regulations, all contractors, subcontractors, vendors, and those intending to bid on or provide subcontract work under MassDOT contracts, should consider the following:

• Review Chapter 358 of the Acts of 2022 and the proposed revisions to 540 CMR 4.10.
• Conduct an immediate review their fleet to identify those vehicles that are subject to the Act.
• As soon as possible, commence the process of equipping such vehicles with required lateral protective devices, convex mirrors, cross over mirrors, and back up cameras. Early purchase and installation of required safety equipment will avoid potential supply issues that may arise later given the broad scope and application of the Act.
• Prepare all required documentation necessary to meet the certification requirements contained in the proposed regulations.
• Similarly, prepare documentation in anticipation of the prequalification renewal process, if applicable.
• For contractors, applicable vehicles operated under a contract executed with the Commonwealth must comply and certify beginning 12/31/25
• Consult with other Commonwealth agencies with whom you have contracts to determine whether there are any additional agency-specific compliance requirements.

Information for State Agencies

State Agencies should identify the relevant staff member for training and access to the RMV truck safety device certification portal. Start this process by visit the Truck Safety Devices Program page.