Hawaii Motorist Killed in Guardrail Collision

A man is dead following a single-vehicle crash along Hawaii’s Kamehameha Highway. Reports show that the vehicle drifted off-road the morning of August 12 before colliding with a guardrail. While the investigation into the incident is ongoing, photos from the scene reveal a troubling possibility: the guardrail may have malfunctioned and worsened the damage done in the collision.

Why Guardrails Malfunction

Guardrails are designed to collapse under the weight and pressure of colliding vehicles. Ideally, they act like an accordion, folding under the crunch of the vehicles involved in the crash and slowing the speed of the incident altogether. Unfortunately, some defective designs do the opposite, spearing the vehicles inside and causing serious injuries and fatalities to motorists and their passengers. While it’s hard to say if the guardrail involved in this crash was indeed defective, photos from the scene are certainly worrying.

Guardrail Removal Around the U.S.

Several models of guardrails have come under fire in recent years for such malfunctions. One model, the X-LITE system, has sparked an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. The X-LITE has been involved in a number of deadly crashes that might have been worsened by the malfunctioning guardrail. While nothing can bring back the lives lost to these deadly devices, lawsuits can help families of the victims get the justice they deserve. Such lawsuits can also help put pressure on local governments to remove defective guardrails from their roads and highways. By holding negligent manufacturers responsible, we help to make the roads safer for everyone.

Guardrail Injury & Wrongful Death Lawyers