Trinity Industries is back in the headlines, with federal prosecutors building their case against the guardrail company. Attorneys have subpoenaed important documents related to the potentially malfunctioning guardrails, specifically searching for any indication that state or federal highway officials were offered payment to approve the dangerous guardrail. In an interview with ABC News this spring, Senator Richard Blumenthal called the relationship between Trinity Industries and the Federal Highway Administration “all too cozy.”
As the legal investigation into the connection between Trinity Industries and the FHWA continues, Congress has urged the Government Accountability Office to conduct their own research into the policies and procedures of those at the Federal Highway Administration. A recent crash test of Trinity’s ET-Plus guardrail was given a passing grade, but critics have disagreed, calling the test a “clear” failure. The test results deemed the guardrails safe enough to remain on roads across the country. Before the test results were revealed, 42 states had paused installation of the ET-Plus devices.
16 years worth of documents related to the ET-Plus have been requested for investigation, which will cover many different versions and designs of the guardrail. Earlier iterations of the ET-Plus may have indeed been safe, but changes made to the design in 2003 – without the authorization of federal overseers – led a Texas jury to find the company guilty of defrauding the government last fall.
Ultimately, someone needs to answer for the countless lives interrupted or lost due to the unsafe ET-Plus guardrail. Many have lost limbs, amputated by sharp metal crashing through their cars in an accident. If this safety device is causing deadly, life-altering damage to the average American driver, perhaps the standards for such guardrails need reviewed and changed.
Seriously Injured in an Accident Involving a Guardrail?
Our Guardrail Injury Lawyers are currently investigating serious and fatal guardrail accidents related to this potentially dangerous 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