Almost without exception, electric vehicles weigh more than gas-powered cars. The newest Hummer EV weighs almost 10,000 pounds. Due to their weight, many electric vehicles can easily crash through steel highway guardrails. The Associated Press reports that crash test data recently released by the University of Nebraska raises concerns about guardrails nationwide. Electric vehicles are different than gasoline-powered vehicles due to the weight increase of 20% to 50% due to batteries. The additional weight also leads to a lower center of gravity.
In 2023 the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) expressed concerns about the risks posed by heavy electric vehicles when they collide with lighter vehicles. Advocates say electric vehicles offer better protection to their occupants, even if they may prove more dangerous to occupants of lighter vehicles. The primary role of the guardrails along freeways and highways are to keep passenger vehicles from leaving the roadway which could lead to catastrophic injuries or death. The preliminary crash test data included researchers used included a Tesla sedan crash where the car lifted the guardrail and went under it. Officials said the guardrail was no match for the heavier electric vehicles. Vehicle weight is also one of the reasons the travel range is limited.
Guardrails are intended to enhance safety on roadways by acting as barriers to prevent vehicles from leaving the roadway, particularly in hazardous areas. They are installed along curves, embankments, bridges, and medians where the risk of vehicles veering off the road or colliding with oncoming traffic is high. A guardrail’s primary function is to absorb and dissipate the energy of an impact and as a result reduce collisions severity. Instead of a crashing into a tree, pole, or cliff, the guardrail redirects the car along the road, minimizing damage to the vehicle and its occupants. This redirection hopes to prevent rollovers and keeps the vehicle in a more controlled environment.
Guardrails are very effective in preventing head-on collisions on freeway medians, where a vehicle crossing into oncoming lanes could result in catastrophic accidents. The design of a modern-day guardrails often includes “breakaway” or “energy-absorbing” technologies to better control the impact and better reduce the risk of injury or death. While not foolproof, the presence of guardrails significantly reduces the risk of more severe crashes by preventing vehicles from leaving the road and protecting motorists from potentially deadly hazards.
The design of guardrails may need to change to account for the growing presence of these heavier electric vehicles. The University of Nebraska’s research showed that because EVs weigh significantly more than traditional gasoline-powered vehicles, the added weight could negatively affect the performance of existing guardrail systems designed with lighter vehicles in mind. Guardrails are currently designed to absorb and redirect crash force of crashes involving vehicles within a certain weight range. EV’s and heavier vehicles in general create more force at the time of impact and overwhelm traditional guardrails and reduce their effectiveness.
A failing guardrail could lead to failure to contain or redirect the vehicle sufficiently increasing the risk of serious accidents. To respond to this, engineers are looking at steps they can take to enhance the structural integrity and energy-absorbing capacity to handle the higher forces generated by heavier EVs. This may include using stronger materials, adding reinforcements, or rethinking the height and positioning of guardrails. As the number of EV’s continue to increase, re-evaluating and potentially redesigning guardrails will be essential to maintaining roadway safety standards and protecting both EV drivers and other road users.
We know defective guardrails fail to provide adequate protection to drivers and other vehicle occupants and contribute to crashes that lead to serious injuries or fatalities. This happens when guardrails break and fail to redirect the vehicle, or even cause the vehicle to flip, resulting in more severe outcomes than if no guardrail had been present. Poor design, improper installation, or lack of maintenance are common causes of defective guardrail accidents. Some guardrails are designed with energy-absorbing end terminals, which should collapse safely during an impact. The consequences of such defects highlight the importance of regular inspection, proper installation, and rigorous safety standards for roadside infrastructure.
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