If you’re unlucky enough to find your vehicle going off the road, the guardrail may be what stops the acceleration of your car and prevents more serious injuries. However, with taller vehicles on the road today, higher guardrails may be necessary. Guardrails are often the last line of defense before a car skids off the road and into unfamiliar or dangerous terrain, so it’s important that they function properly.
A standard height of 31″ is used for guardrails across the country. This was set back when most of the cars on the road had a lower center of gravity and rode much lower. However, the study recommends raising guardrails to a height of 36″ to contain these taller vehicles and prevent them from rolling over.
The 36″ determination was made after analyzing the impact of a 2003 KIA Rio, repeating a test with a 37″ and a 36″ guardrail. Just one inch makes a big difference for these smaller cars as the KIA Rio at 37″ slid under the guardrail and could have led to fatal injuries for passengers inside.
If you or someone you know has already been involved in an accident as a result of another driver’s negligence or defective road conditions, you may be eligible to file a legal claim with the help of a personal injury lawyer.