New guardrails turn into ‘rigid spears’ that ‘sever limbs,’ Ontario city alleges in $500M lawsuit

National Post ^ | March 5, 2015 | Colin Perkel

[rickmichaels]

TORONTO — Authorities across Canada are awaiting test results from the U.S. before deciding what to do about thousands of safety devices with alleged defects that could cause guardrails to rip through cars and motorists instead of protecting them in crashes.

In the interim, several provinces have stopped installing the units, which would cost tens of millions of dollars to remove, while the city of Stratford, Ont., has launched a proposed $500-million class action against the manufacturer.

At issue is Trinity’s ET Plus — the end unit of the guardrail — which is supposed to absorb impact and guide the rail so a crashing vehicle isn’t slamming into the rigid steel end.

The lawsuit, filed in Ontario Superior Court on behalf of all affected Canadian jurisdictions, alleges Trinity Industries secretly made unauthorized changes to the ET Plus about 10 years ago and failed to warn anyone about “serious failures” it knew about.

[Gay State Conservative]

I’ve seen one or two similar stories on local Boston newscasts.Hey,at least you go quickly....

[headstamp 2]

I’ve seen rails that taper into the ground to the right. The end is held by a massive buried concrete “bell”. They need the room for them though.

[Tijeras_Slim]

[Cicero]

Hard to tell if the fault is with the modified guardrail, or with the lawyers who are suing for damages.

[Calvin Locke]

Growing up, I remember as a three or four year old a neighbor that lost his leg as a race car driver. My father said he successfully sued the track because the guard rails were overlapped in the wrong direction, allowing a car to push one inward, allowing the next in line to slice through the car, and whatever was in the car as well.

Early 1960s.

[Dusty Road]

Going to ping this for later. A friend of mine designed the first model of these and back then I noticed several serious problems with this.

[Born to Conserve]

If there was no guard rail, they would hit the bridge columns, or plunge into ravines.

How about not suing people when YOU run off the road.

[Star Traveler]

I think the barrels of sand or water work better ... :-) ...

[Star Traveler]

BUT ... if there were barrels of sand or water, that would be much more effective!

[BwanaNdege]

Growing up, I remember as a three or four year old a neighbor that lost his leg as a race car driver. My father said he successfully sued the track because the guard rails were overlapped in the wrong direction, allowing a car to push one inward, allowing the next in line to slice through the car, and whatever was in the car as well.

This crash?

Reds Kagle crashes in 1961 World 600 at Charlotte

[thackney]

Reminds me of a college professor who advised a failing student in strengths of materials to transfer to Pre-Med and out of Engineering.

While he did not expect the student to do better, he said “at least after graduation, you will only kill people one at a time.”

[Vendome]

[Tijeras_Slim]

That’s a good one.

[Calvin Locke]

This crash?

Apparently yes, inferring from his home town, according to his bio.

I'll have to show my father the video. Thanks.

I also remember tapping on his wooden leg the one time he showed me.

[jurroppi1]

Except in MN for about 4-5 months where they would be barrels of ice or concrete.

[nascarnation]

Just don’t use water where it gets below 32F often.

[RoadGumby]

sand could get wet or damp, then, come winter, they are not so soft and cushy.

[Star Traveler]

I don’t know what they put in the barrels in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but it’s been below freezing for a good while here.

[moose07]