Metro Government has decided to remove a potentially dangerous piece of highway safety equipment from Nashville roadways. WSMV.com reports that they have identified 20 ET-Plus guardrail terminals on Nashville roads spread out across Davidson County. They estimate the cost to be around $200,000.00.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation currently estimates that there are around 13,000 ET-Plus guardrail terminals across Tennessee. However, TDOT says that they will wait until crash test results are in before making a decision.
The Dangerous Guardrail Controversy
The ET-Plus guardrail end terminal, designed by Trinity Industries, has been known to malfunction, leaving accident victims severely injured. Trinity Industries has been the subject of much scrutiny this year after a Texas court found the company made unauthorized design changes to the guardrail head without sharing their plans with federal regulators. Trinity Industries has been fined more than $175 million because of their failure to follow procedure.
The ET-Plus is under fire after multiple accident reports involving the device have shown it to malfunction. Originally designed to peel backward and away to absorb the impact of a crash, the guardrail end terminal has instead pierced straight through the cabins of oncoming vehicles, injuring, amputating and even killing passengers inside.
More than thirty U.S. states and a Canadian province have temporarily banned the installation of the ET-Plus guardrail heads until crash testing reveals just how safe – or dangerous – the product really is. Only Virginia and Nashville, TN have announced plans to remove the guardrail end terminals currently on their roads. Experts estimate that there are thousands of the ET-Plus guardrail terminals across the country.
Trinity Industries is currently planning eight different crash tests to prove to federal regulators that their product is safe. Results are due by early January, and regulators expect to make a call about the future role of the ET-Plus by the end of next month.
Do You Need A Guardrail Lawyer? – Get Help Now
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, Free Case Evaluation 877-544-5323