Tennessee Car Crash Lawyer Discusses Interstate Median Barrier Systems
As an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney I often write about Roadway Departure Crashes (RDCs) and their tragic results. This morning I wrote about the terrible van tractor-trailer accident that took the lives of eleven members of a Kentucky family. At issue in this fatal accident were the cable barriers that were in place to prevent to prevent median crossover crashes and which failed miserably.
Median crossover crashes often result in fatalities or severe injuries to occupants of the errant vehicle and the motorists in the opposing traffic lanes. State departments of transportation (DOT) are obviously interested in reducing median crossover crashes through the use of median barriers. The concrete and metal beam barriers traditionally used to prevent these crashes, however, don’t perform well on sloped terrain. In addition, concrete and metal beam barriers are expensive, and State and local agencies often lack the resources to rapidly deploy these technologies to areas where vehicles frequently cross over the adjacent medians.
Recent research shows that cable median barriers are more forgiving than traditional concrete and metal beam barriers and can be designed to be effective when installed on sloping terrain. Collision forces are deflected laterally thereby reducing the forces transmitted to vehicle occupants.
Cable barriers are softer barriers and studies in Washington and North Carolina show a substantial reduction in fatal and injury crashes when compared to concrete and guardrail median barriers.
When design elements such as deflection and maximum slope requirements are met, cable can be an alternative to concrete and metal beam barriers. Some States are turning to cable median barriers in areas where there is sufficient median width and a high potential for crashes.
If you or a loved one is injured or killed in a Tennessee median crossover collision you owe it to your self and your family to contact an experienced Tennessee automobile accident attorney to handle the aftermath. At Phillip Miller & Associates we have a competent staff with years of experience. Contact us for a no-obligation consultation to learn about your rights and remedies.
Phillip Miller is a Tennessee Accident Attorney specializing in
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