Virginia to Conduct New Testing of ET-Plus Guardrails
The tests come as several critics dispute the validity of eight road tests that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) claims that the ET-Plus passed in March. The ET-Plus guardrail is designed to act as a shock absorber when a vehicle collides with it, but many believe that the guardrail can buckle and splinter instead, spearing the vehicle and possibly drivers with jagged pieces of metal piercing through the door or window. Currently, there are over 200,000 ET-Plus guardrails installed throughout the U.S. highway system.