Trinity Defective Guardrail Investigation

Investigating a lawsuit on behalf of governmental entities that purchased and installed guardrails manufactured by Trinity Industries.  The New York Times recently reported that internal documents from the Federal Highway Administration show that a senior engineer charged with examining the guardrails expressed reservations about their safety before he signed off on their continued use about two years ago.   

The highway agency approved the guardrails based on results of crash tests conducted in 2005 by Trinity and a Texas A&M University laboratory.  However, in 2005 Trinity changed the guardrail’s design to reduce the width of the steel channel behind the rail head at the end of the guardrail, from five to four inches. Some state officials had stated that instead of sliding along the rail, which collapses much like an accordion, and helping it curl out of the way of the oncoming vehicle, the rail head can become jammed.  When this occurs the long metal guardrail does not get pushed aside but instead can become a bayonet that can pierce the vehicle and any person in its way.  Design changes and detailed diagrams are supposed to be disclosed to the Federal Highway Administration.  It is alleged that when Trinity narrowed its rail head design it did not make the appropriate disclosures. 

On September 24, 2014, Missouri banned further installation of the rail heads. Nevada and Massachusetts prohibited further purchases.  If you purchased and installed guardrails manufactured by Trinity Industries, please contact us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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