Guardrails are meant to keep drivers safe on the highways, but improper installation practices make guardrails yet another life-threatening hazard for motorists.
What are Frankensteined Guardrails?
In the spring of 2020, high school senior Isabella Alonzo was killed after crashing into a guardrail on a Georgia highway. Instead of cushioning the impact, the ‘Frankensteined’ guardrail impaled her car. Like the famous monster, the guardrail was assembled from parts made by different manufacturers.
Frankensteined guardrails occur when a guardrail and a terminal are mixed-and-matched. This practice is against federal guidelines because guardrails are engineered to collapse on impact. When guardrails are piecemealed together from disparate parts, the guardrail may not collapse and instead pierce a vehicle moving at highway speeds.
How to Correct Frankensteined Guardrails
The first step in correcting Frankensteined guardrails is to conduct an inspection of all the guardrails in your asset inventory. These guardrails may be difficult to spot for the untrained eye, but experts have no trouble identifying the potential dangers. For example, PILLAR’s guardrail experts are familiar with installation practices of various types of guardrail systems and can quickly and easily identify Frankensteined or damaged guardrails.
You may consider engaging an infrastructure asset management firm with technological capabilities to conduct a thorough inspection of all your guardrails. At PILLAR, we’re equipped to handle the most complex data collection. Not only can PILLAR perform a manual survey, but we can also leverage data collection from the air through our mobile LiDAR, spherical images, and point cloud technology. This comprehensive method is quick, efficient and prevents dangerous guardrails from being overlooked.
It is imperative to correct any Frankensteined guardrails as soon as possible to prevent unnecessary loss of life. If your current roadside crew is stretched thin, PILLAR provides boots-on-the-ground support to rapidly address safety issues, keep you in compliance with federal guidelines, and reduce the danger to motorists.
Contact PILLAR
Frankensteined guardrails pose a deadly threat to the public, but PILLAR can help. We are a firm of multidisciplined professionals with decades of tactical, strategic, and operational experts who are ethically committed to the well-being and safety of the public. From data collection to staff augmentation PILLAR can help optimize your asset management. Our team of experts is eager to speak with you; contact us today!