Railings have been around for centuries. They serve one main purpose: to keep people from falling off the edge of something. Whether it’s a balcony, bridge, or porch, railings are there to prevent you from tumbling down into an abyss you can’t see and don’t want to be part of. A guardrail can be found on bridges and roads with nothing between you and an open space below, like cliffs or ravines. This article will explore what guardrails are and why they’re important.
What Is A Guardrail?
A guardrail is a safety barrier that is used to protect the public from accidents on highways and roads. There are many different guardrails: some are made from metal, others are made from wood or plastic, some have a protective netting along them, while others do not. Examples of guardrails include metal or wooden railings, which can be used to prevent cars from going off the road and prevent cars from crashing into other vehicles.
What Is The Purpose Of A Guardrail?
The purpose of a guardrail is to stop cars from rolling off the road and into danger. It protects people and vehicles from falling off the side of a busy highway or interstate.
Guardrails are not just for highways but for all roads that have curves in them too. You see them everywhere: on highways, bridges, streets, and driveways. They’re always there whenever you need them most!
What Are The Different Types Of Road Safety Guardrails?
A few different types of guardrails are available for different conditions:
- Low-speed guardrail. This is the most common type of guardrail and is designed for speeds up to about 50 mph. It uses a steel end terminal, which is anchored in concrete barriers or drilled directly into the ground.
- High-speed guardrail. These are used on highways where there are higher speeds and greater traffic volumes, such as interstates or freeways with high traffic volumes during rush hour. They can also be used on rural roads but have a higher cost that may not justify their use in those situations. The design of these systems varies based on their location—highway, rural highway, etc.—and whether they’re being installed along an existing barrier or if they’ll be installed alone without any other infrastructure present at all times (in which case they’d need more reinforcement).
- Guardrail end terminal with gusset: A standard low-speed system that includes a structural member called “gusset plates” between each post pair to add strength to the installation while reducing noise generated by impacts against the posts themselves; this type of installation is typically used on urban streets where traffic speed isn’t very fast but could still cause damage if hit by a vehicle traveling too quickly for its surroundings (like when exiting onto another road from within one).
- Guardrail end terminal with barrier arm: Similar to above except equipped with an extended arm attached directly overtop each post pair; this prevents vehicles from coming back toward traffic once they’ve passed through one set of rails.
When Should A Guard Rail Be Installed?
There are three main reasons why a guardrail should be installed on the road:
- Whenever an accident occurs, and the vehicle has gone off the road, it’s important to have a guardrail in place. This is especially true if there is also heavy traffic or steep drop-offs nearby.
- Guardrails can be useful in areas where sharp turns frequently occur on roads because they allow drivers to slow down before entering these areas or turn more safely than they would otherwise be able to do without them.
- Guardrails can also help prevent vehicles from tumbling into ravines and other similar areas when driving at top speeds due to their ability to slow them down before any serious damage occurs (if any at all).