Safety Requirements for Barriers and Guardrails
As Americans hit the highways each day, heavy traffic places a burden on state and municipal authorities. For these government agencies, important responsibilities include regular road maintenance and improving the safety of public highways and streets. As a result, the government holds to general safety guidelines before installing new devices such as barriers and guardrails on public roads.
Contact the Sheboygan road defect attorneys of Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. ®, by calling 800-242-2874 for more information regarding your legal options if you have been injured because of a road defect.
Barrier and Guardrail Safety
Guardrails are commonly seen along high-speed highways and roads winding through hilly or mountainous areas. As these barriers can make the difference between surviving a crash and suffering potentially fatal injuries, they often receive a substantial amount of attention. Guardrail standards have evolved to account for a range of possible complications, which may cover some of the following concerns:
- Running through the railing into oncoming lanes of traffic
- Bouncing off rails and back into traffic after a collision
- Under-riding or over-riding the barrier
- Sustained unacceptable damages to the vehicle or injuries to the passengers
As guardrails have been improved over the years, these various concerns have shaped the types of guardrails used. While steel rails and concrete barriers were preferred for years, many areas have now switched over to cable guardrails. These barriers provide enough strength to stop a moving car while absorbing enough force to reduce damage to the vehicle.
Contact Us
If you have been injured on the road because of a missing guardrail or a defective barrier, you may have grounds for legal action. To learn more about your options, contact the Sheboygan road defect lawyers of Habush Habush & Rottier S.C. ®, today at 800-242-2874.
