Guardrail Safety Questioned as Crash Causes Guardrail to Pierce Through Car

Posted on November 13, 2015June 30, 2021 by Jeffrey Nadrich

Guardrails were developed to keep motorists safe. Guardrails often serve as a barrier between lanes and to prevent a car from veering off the roadway and down an embankment. However, some guardrails can do more harm than good. Some guardrails are defectively designed, and can cause serious injury or even death.

Guardrails are especially dangerous for motorcycle riders. Each year, nearly 300 motorcyclists are killed in guardrail accidents. This number accounts for 42% of all crashes caused by guardrails. Upon impact, a guardrail should typically curl and soften the force of vehicle impact. The rail heads should also push the vehicle away from the guardrails.

Recently, several lawsuits have been filed against Trinity Industries, a leading guardrail manufacturer. Plaintiffs allege that certain Trinity guardrails have caused five deaths and multiple injuries in more than a dozen accidents across the country. Plaintiffs contend that certain models of Trinity guardrails are defectively designed, whereby the guardrail can come loose and impale a vehicle. The Federal Highway Administration disputes such claims and contends that the Trinity guardrails meet required safety standards. Trinity also denies any wrongdoing. Several states, including: Missouri, Nevada and Massachusetts, have banned Trinity guardrails, due to safety concerns.

The lawyers of Nadrich & Cohen Accident Injury Lawyers are currently investigating defective guardrail claims. If you or a loved one has been injured in a guardrail accident, contact the product defect lawyers of Nadrich & Cohen Accident Injury Lawyers for a free consultation.

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