Electric vehicles that typically weigh more than gas-powered cars can more easily crash through steel highway guardrails that are not designed to withstand the additional force.
According to a report in The Associated Press, crash test data released recently by the University of Nebraska raises serious concerns about the nation’s roadside safety system.
Electric vehicles are built differently than gasoline-powered vehicles because they weigh 20% to 50% more thanks to batteries, which weigh almost as much as a small gas-powered car.
Electric vehicles also have a lower center of gravity. Because of these differences, guardrails can do little to stop electric vehicles from pushing through steel barriers.
Researchers at the University of Nebraska released results a crash test that detailed how a 4-ton 2022 Rivian R.I.T. tore through a metal guardrail and didn’t slow down until it hit a concrete barrier yards away on the other side.
Electric Vehicles Go Through Guardrails in Crash Tests
Researchers said guardrails nationwide are not made to handle vehicles heavier than 5,000 pounds. Last year, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) expressed concern about safety risks posed by heavy electric vehicles when they collide with lighter vehicles.
Safety advocates say electric vehicles seem to offer better protection to their occupants, even if they may prove more dangerous to occupants of lighter vehicles.
However, guardrails found along the nation’s freeways and highways keep passenger vehicles from leaving the roadway. They aim to prevent vehicles from veering off roadways over bridges, waterways, or near cliffs and ravines. Such crashes could lead to catastrophic injuries or death.
The preliminary crash test also involved a Tesla sedan crash in which the car lifted the guardrail and went under it. Officials said the guardrail was no match for heavier electric vehicles.
The heaviness of these vehicles is primarily due to the batteries needed to achieve the travel range of about 300 miles each time it is charged.
The Importance of Guardrails in Roadway Safety
Guardrails play a critical role in enhancing safety on highways and freeways by acting as barriers that prevent vehicles from leaving the roadway, particularly in hazardous areas.
They are typically installed along curves, steep embankments, bridges, or medians where the risk of vehicles veering off the road or colliding with oncoming traffic is high.
The primary function of guardrails is to absorb and dissipate the energy of an impact, thereby reducing the severity of collisions. Instead of a vehicle crashing into a dangerous object, such as a tree, pole, or cliff, the guardrail redirects the car along the road, minimizing damage to the vehicle and its occupants.
This redirection helps prevent rollovers and keeps the vehicle in a more controlled environment, reducing the likelihood of a more severe accident.
Guardrails are particularly effective in preventing head-on collisions in freeway medians, where vehicles crossing over into oncoming lanes could result in catastrophic accidents. They serve as a barrier against the risk of plunging down embankments on steep roads or elevated bridges.
Modern guardrails are often designed with “breakaway” or “energy-absorbing” technologies to control the impact better, reducing the risk of injury or death.
While they are not foolproof and may still cause damage in certain types of collisions, the presence of guardrails significantly reduces the risk of more severe crashes by preventing vehicles from leaving the road and protecting motorists from potentially deadly hazards.
Do Guardrails Need to Be Redesigned?
Guardrails may need to be redesigned to account for the growing presence of these heavier electric vehicles.
As the University of Nebraska’s research showed, because EVs tend to weigh significantly more than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles due to their large battery packs, this added weight could affect the performance of existing guardrail systems designed with lighter vehicles in mind.
Current guardrail designs are optimized to absorb and redirect the force of crashes involving vehicles within a certain weight range. Like many EVs, heavier vehicles generate more force upon impact, potentially overwhelming traditional guardrails and reducing their effectiveness.
This could lead to guardrails failing to contain or properly redirect the vehicle, increasing the risk of serious accidents, including rollovers or vehicles leaving the roadway.
To address this, engineers may need to enhance guardrails’ structural integrity and energy-absorbing capacity to handle the higher forces generated by heavier EVs. This might involve using stronger materials, adding reinforcements, or rethinking the height and positioning of guardrails.
As electric vehicles continue to increase in number on the roads, re-evaluating and potentially redesigning guardrails will be essential to maintaining roadway safety standards and protecting both EV drivers and other road users.
Defective Guardrails Can Cause Serious Injuries
When defective guardrails fail to provide adequate protection to drivers and other vehicle occupants, these accidents can lead to serious injuries or fatalities, as the guardrail may break, fail to redirect the vehicle, or even cause the vehicle to flip, resulting in more severe outcomes than if no guardrail had been present.
Poor design, improper installation, or lack of maintenance are common causes of defective guardrail accidents. Some guardrails are designed with energy-absorbing end terminals, which should collapse safely during an impact.
However, if these components are defective, they may spear through the vehicle or fail to absorb the impact correctly.
Additionally, guardrails made of substandard materials or those not adequately maintained (rusted, weakened, or damaged by previous collisions) can fail in critical moments.
These defects have led to high-profile lawsuits against manufacturers and government agencies responsible for road maintenance. In many cases, plaintiffs argue that defective or improperly installed guardrails have directly contributed to the severity of their injuries or the deaths of loved ones.
The consequences of such defects highlight the importance of regular inspection, proper installation, and rigorous safety standards for roadside infrastructure.
If A Defective Guardrail has injured you
If you have been injured due to a defective guardrail, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Documenting the accident scene, gathering evidence, and seeking medical attention is crucial. It is also imperative to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney specializing in defective roadway and product defect cases.
A knowledgeable lawyer can help you determine if the guardrail was improperly designed, installed, or maintained and identify responsible parties, such as the manufacturer, contractors, or government entities.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/electric-vehicles-crash-test-guardrails-nebraska-3ec299a7ad87d0f63a6dd9357f663fce
