Side Impact & Reinforcement Bars Another safety regulation driving new vehicle design is the FMVSS 214D, Dynamic Side Impact Protection. This is a crash test regulation designed to protect the occupants during a side or T-Bone impact crash and all model year 1997 passenger cars must comply. The manufactures now equip vehicles with door intrusion beams at the front and rear doors. Typically, these door intrusion beams are made of Micro-Alloy or Boron Steel material that runs longitudinally from the door hinge area to the latch area. This material is about four to six times stronger than the steel beam type of side impact protection. It presents an extremely difficult challenge when cutting. Micro Alloy has phosphorous added for additional strength, and Boron Steel is stronger yet (typically thicker walled and smaller in diameter than Micro Alloy Steel). The potential for a need to cut these beams exists in the offset frontal type crash. In this situation, rescuers have seen intrusion of the beam into the "B" piller/post, with occasional intrusion into the "A" pillar/post. When this occurs the beam becomes a deadbolt and must be cut in order to remove the door. Extreme caution should be exercised when attempting to cut these beams. Be sure to follow correct cutting procedures for your equipment. Failure to do so may result in damage to your cutter. It is very important to control any free ends as they tend to fly when cut.