New Jersey has joined a growing list of more than thirty states that have banned the installation of a controversial highway guardrail head. The ET-Plus model, designed by Trinity Industries, has been known to malfunction and exacerbate highway collisions.

According to NJ.com, the Federal Highway Administration will require Trinity Industries to provide plans to re-test the device and prove that it is safe for the country’s roads and highways. The FHWA has history with Trinity Industries, though – internal emails reveal that a federal engineer had reservations about the safety of the ET-Plus but ultimately signed off on its use in spite of his concerns.

This model of guardrails has been on our nation’s highways for nearly ten years. It has come under fire recently after a Texas judge found Trinity industries guilty of defrauding the federal government by not making regulators aware of a change in product design. That change, a one inch reduction in size, is what safety experts blame the malfunction on. Guardrails should absorb the speed of colliding vehicles to fold backward and bring the accident to stop. Instead, the ET-Plus has been known to spear vehicles, piercing right through the cars. Victims have been killed and seriously injured in accidents involving these guardrail heads, with some people even losing limbs to the sharp metal piercing the car.

As all eyes turn to Trinity Industries and their crash tests, more and more states are likely to join New Jersey in their ban on the guardrail head.

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