Virginia Begins Guardrail Removal Process, Sues Trinity Industries

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After months of banning the installation of a controversial highway safety device, Virginia’s Department of Transportation has begun the process of hiring contractors to remove the guardrail heads currently on the roads. The selected contractors will be required to locate and remove thousands of the potentially deadly ET-Plus model of guardrail end terminal. The bid period will last through the end of next month. Virginia is one of the first places to act on promises to remove the dangerous guardrails – most states have simply banned the future installation of the product.

Virginia’s attorney general is also taking charge against Trinity Industries, the company that manufactures the ET-Plus. Mark Herring recently filed a lawsuit claiming that the company sold Virginia thousands of unapproved highway safety devices. Though an older model of the ET-Plus had been approved for installation on the Commonwealth’s roads, design changes made in 2005 went unreported to federal regulators. Experts now say that those changes are likely the reason for the device’s malfunction.

13newsnow.com reports that Virginia is pursuing the lawsuit to help cover the cost of finding and replacing all of these potentially dangerous guardrail caps. Because road crews do not keep track of the exact location or model of guardrail installed, the replacement process will likely be expensive and lengthy.

Federally mandated crash testing of the ET-Plus is currently underway in Texas. The tests will go on over the next few weeks with results due to regulators by the end of January. Those tests will determine the future role of the ET-Plus on roads across the country.

Seriously Injured in an Accident Involving a Guardrail?

Our Guardrail Injury Lawyers are currently investigating serious and fatal guardrail accidents related to this untested guardrail design. If you or a loved one were injured in an accident with a guardrail, contact our attorneys to discuss your legal options. We offer a free, no obligation, case evaluation – Get Help Now 877-544-5323