Group Claims Highway Guardrails May Not Effectively Protect Motorists in Crashes

October 11, 2013

Guardrails are supposed to keep motorists safe in the event that a crash occurs, but new information regarding the integrity of these devices shows they may do more harm than good. The New York Car Accident Lawyers with William Mattar Law Offices explain that when a vehicle impacts the end cap of a guardrail, it may not properly disperse the force, causing the device to become a deadly piece of metal capable of piercing through a vehicle and its passengers.

An article from Consortium News claims that on May 27, 2005, a guardrail unit consisting of a newly designed 4-inch ET-Plus end unit was tested using a 1998 Chevy Metro on a closed course in Texas. The test was meant to examine the effectiveness of the new units compared to older units, which were five-inches wide. Researchers, at the time, stated the devices were effective; however, investigators later determined the units may be deadly.

A group filing lawsuits against the makers of the guardrail units in question presented evidence showing the guardrails may have been the cause of death and injury in more than 400 accidents. Furthermore, investigators argued the data used by the company to prove successful testing of the devices was fabricated.

William Mattar’s team of New York Personal Injury Lawyers recognizes the dangers a defective safety device can pose and are here to help those who have been affected by such malfunctions.