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Nine major automakers have agreed to strengthen the
beams put on light trucks to prevent cars from sliding under them in head-on crashes by September 2009. The
Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers also said automakers would develop research crash-simulation programs for
head-on car vs. truck collisions.
Voluntary standards were set in 2003 that mandated the lowering of front ends of trucks or the installation of
blocker beams. Other measures being taken to reduce fatalities in car vs. truck crashes include the increased use of
side-curtain air bags and the redesign of rigid truck front ends.