The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is facing criticism and controversy after deciding to leave potentially unsafe guardrails on their highways. The guardrails – manufactured by Trinity Highway Products – were recently the subject of a $175 million lawsuit in Texas. The suit was brought by a whistleblower guardrail installer. According to testimony, Trinity altered the guardrail design in 2005 without going through proper testing or regulatory channels with the Federal Highway Administration.
The Problem with the Trinity ET-Plus Guardrail
The primary problem with the guardrails is their endcap design. Originally designed to glance off colliding vehicles, the 2005 design change could cause the guardrails to instead spear the vehicle and its passengers. At least one Pennsylvanian lost her foot due to this defect. The original design was seen as effective – including fixing a problem where guardrails sometimes acted as ramps that launched vehicles – and reasons for the redesign are not immediately clear.
PennDOT Not Planning on Removing Guardrails Just Yet
Trinity Highway Products has stopped shipping the guardrails until “additional testing has been completed,” mandated by federal officials. Despite this, The Meadville Tribune reports that contrary to the decisions of thirteen other states, PennDOT is not ordering the guardrails gone just yet. The Federal Highway Administration has not also mandated their removal, but is instead requiring further information from states about problems with the guardrails. PennDOT is cooperating with this initiative and is collecting statistics and information on guardrail-related accidents in the state.
Data is not available yet on the number of injuries or deaths caused by the guardrails. In the meantime, over 9,000 of them border Pennsylvania highways.
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