Introducing
The Safe Stop™ Guardrail Enhancer
A uniquely designed retrofit for barrier systems that provides pre-existing and newly installed guardrail systems with enhanced strength, energy-absorbing capabilities, and small vehicle occupant protection.
what it does
The patent-pending Safe Stop™ Guardrail Enhancer provides transportation AUTHORITIES with a new, cost-effective option for enhancing safety of PRE-existing guardrails without replacing them completely.
Guardrail Enhancer
The Safe Stop™ Guardrail Enhancer is a unique retrofit system that is designed to provide pre-existing guardrail systems with enhanced strength, energy absorbing capabilities, and small vehicle occupant protection. The same design components can be utilized to provide a smooth transition from guardrails to rigid barriers.
High strength longitudinal rail components are attached to the pre-existing w-beam rail to substantially enhance the strength and energy absorption capabilities of the barrier system. Additional components can be installed to eliminate the large opening beneath the pre-existing w-beam rail. By eliminating this large opening, vehicle components (especially tires) are protected from snagging on posts and motorcyclists sliding underneath the w-beam rail are shielded from engaging with exposed sharp edges found on the w-beam rail and posts.
A protective and resilient outer shell can be added to the Guardrail Enhancer to further improve the safety features of the barrier system. This added component enhances the barrier’s ability to protect small vehicle occupants (especially motorcyclists) from being exposed to dangerous openings and sharp edges. The outer shell will also protect the pre-existing components of the guardrail from deteriorating, thereby extending its lifespan.
Barrier Connection
The Guardrail Enhancer is able to smoothly connect to our Earth Barrier and Headwall Barrier. Installation is quick and efficient with our unique transition hardware.
On the ends of the Safe Stop™ Guardrail Enhancer, the Safe Stop™ Headwall Barrier can be installed to provide safety for vehicle occupants during head-on impact events.
When space becomes limited or the desired application changes, e.g., from roadside to median application, the Earth Barrier can transition to the Guardrail Enhancer for enhanced vehicular protection in these types of locations.
GUARDRAIL ENHANCER
features and BENEFITS
- For light to moderate impact events, the additional Guardrail Enhancer components will likely be reusable and most pre-existing barrier components will not need to be replaced.**
- The likelihood of vehicle components (especially tires) snagging on pre-existing w-beam rails and posts due to large openings are greatly diminished.
- Vehicle occupants (especially motorcyclists) are protected from exposed sharp edges on w-beam rails and posts.
- An erosion and water control feature can be integrated to the barrier system to extend outward from the barrier, reducing landscaping maintenance around the barrier.
- Reflectors or reflective material can easily be added for greater visibility.
- When desired, customized coatings can be added for aesthetic appeal.
- The innovative materials may be integrated into Autonomous Vehicle (“AV”) alert systems for future technologies.
If you are in the process of planning for repairs or replacement of existing guardrails or other barriers, please contact us to see how the Safe Stop™ Guardrail Enhancer can enhance safety and save time and resources.
*Extensive non-accredited full-scale crash testing of Safe Stop Guardrail Enhancer prototypes have been performed to replicate MASH testing conditions and optimize the design of this barrier system. Accredited testing will be performed to assess MASH compliance of this barrier system (MASH test level will depend on the pre-existing barrier system being retrofitted). In addition, testing will also be performed per EN1317 or criteria specified by the accredited testing lab to assess the ability of the Guardrail Enhancer to be a motorcyclist safe barrier system.
** Components are designed to be reusable for the majority of impact events. Reusability is determined by the specifying roadside authority or state DOT.