Guardrails are in place to protect motorists, but when they fail, the results can be devastating.

Tennessee’s Department of Transportation has begun accepting bids to remove X-Lite guardrail end terminals following a series of deadly crashes. Though the device has passed federal safety tests, it doesn’t always work as intended.​

When a car collides with a guardrail, the guardrail should fold under the weight of the vehicle. Most act like an accordion, bending backward to slow an accident to a stop in a safe manner. Instead, when guardrails fail, they can pierce vehicle cabins and strike motorists inside. The X-lite guardrail was pulled off Tennessee’s approved device list last year. Now, the state is working toward removing and replacing all such guardrails throughout the state.

Unfortunately, this process won’t happen overnight, and there’s a chance that more deadly accidents involving the X-lite guardrail end terminals will occur before all of them can be removed. Three deadly crashes in Tennessee have involved the X-lite terminals in the last year. There’s no telling how many more will occur before all of the guardrails are removed.

Of course, Tennessee isn’t the only state where X-lite guardrails are in place. Other states have also seen deadly accidents occur involving the X-lite guardrail end terminals.

Guardrail Injury Lawyer

Our firm fights for victims injured by defective, outdated or improperly installed guardrails. Accidents involving these dangerous guardrails can be incredibly traumatic, and many find themselves questioning what’s next. If you’ve sustained serious injuries after colliding with a guardrail, it is possible that the guardrail malfunctioned. Contact our experienced guardrail lawyers for a free consultation 877-544-7844.