Virginia’s crash testing of the controversial ET-Plus guardrail has begun in California. The tests, conducted by a neutral third party testing facility called KARCO, will help determine the fate of the ET-Plus on Commonwealth roads and highways. But officials from Trinity Industries – the company behind the guardrail in question – walked out of the first day of testing after calling the crash tests “clearly flawed.”

The tests were ordered by the Virginia Department of Transportation in spite of the federal tests conducted earlier this year that show the ET-Plus passing. Many critics were skeptical of one of the eight federal tests, claiming that it should ultimately have been ruled a failure. Critics also worry that an older model of the ET-Plus was used for the federal tests, not the controversial model with design changes.

Though VDOT has allowed news cameras to film the tests, Trinity has accused them of being not being transparent enough. KARCO allowed Trinity two hours to inspect the test setup, and even granted them an additional hour to go over the procedures. The first test has been completed, but VDOT will not be commenting about the results until all testing is complete in early October.

Ultimately, VDOT representatives told ABCNews, these tests are designed with the safety of Virginian motorists safe. Trinity Industries may reject the results and even challenge the science behind the tests, but whatever the outcome, state officials will be more knowledgeable about the ET-Plus and the way it functions on our roads.

Guardrail Injury Lawyer

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