We drive past them virtually every day without thinking much about them. Indeed, highway guardrails are part of our periphery, something we don’t much ponder until something terrible happens. But for those of us unfortunate enough to land in an accident on a highway, these guardrails often play critical roles in how the crash plays out. Trinity Industries, a manufacturer of guardrails on highways all across the country, has come under fire recently for changing their ET-Plus guardrail design without telling anyone.

The end terminal, or guardrail head, is usually striped, painted yellow and black. In an accident, this piece is designed to absorb the impact of a vehicle and accordion backward. As the head is pushed back by the car, the piece pushes the rails aside, peeling it away from the vehicle.

Unfortunately, the Trinity Industries guardrails have been malfunctioning. Instead of those side rails peeling away, they have reportedly sliced right through cars. This malfunction has resulted in needless injuries (including amputations) and even some fatalities. The lawsuit against Trinity Industries argues that a 2005 redesign of these guardrail heads went unreported to federal regulators. The redesign is said to have saved the manufacturer about $2 per head.

As the investigation into this matter continues to unfold, accident victims across the country will watch to see if the malfunctioning guardrail head was indeed the result of the cheaper redesign. Trinity Industries will have a lot to answer for if this is indeed the case.

States Continue to Ban the Trinity Guardrail

Trinity Industries is conducting new safety tests to prove their guardrail heads are safe for our nation’s roads. In light of the ongoing investigation, the guardrails have been pulled from the approved materials list from nearly thirty states. Some states are even conducting surveys to determine where exactly these Trinity ET-Plus guardrails are installed, and creating a plan to remove them.

Guardrail News In Your State

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