An end treatment for a guardrail safety system includes a terminal portion of a guardrail beam comprising a downstream end and upstream end, a first tension cable coupled to an upstream end of the terminal portion. An extruder configured to receive at least a portion of the guardrail beam and at least a portion of the first tension cable, and a terminal support post installed adjacent the roadway at an upstream end of the terminal portion of the guardrail beam. The extruder includes a narrowing throat providing a channel in which at least a portion of the guardrail beam is disposed. The narrowing throat is configured to flatten the guardrail beam in response to a collision with a vehicle moving the extruder in a downstream direction along the guardrail beam. The terminal support post coupled to an upstream end of the first tension cable.

An end treatment array for crash attenuation includes a transition barrier module formed of side walls, end walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, wherein the module walls together define an enclosed interior space. The end treatment array further includes a containment impact sled having an axially extending frame. The frame has a width sufficient to contain the transition barrier module within the frame when in an assembled configuration, and has an axial length which is at least one-half the length of the transition barrier module. The frame defines an interior volume, the purpose of which is to contain a substantial portion of the transition barrier module in the assembled configuration, and to contain debris caused by destruction of the plastic barrier modules in a vehicular impact. The containment impact sled is attached to the transition barrier module.

An energy absorbing apparatus is provided and includes an outer shell having opposed ends and a left side wall, a right side wall and a hollow core. The shell includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart fold points positioned on the left and right side walls only located at a height in the middle region of the shell relative to the height of the left and right side walls. The fold points facilitate a controlled folding up of the left and right side walls and at least part of the shell, at or around, the fold points, during an end on impact.

Guardrail, guardrail terminal, and support post designs that improve control of a vehicle during collisions are described. The disclosed designs also reduce the likelihood of intrusion into vehicle systems and the occupant compartment(s). Embodiments include folding and/or flattening of the guardrail and controlling the folded and flattened guardrail to avoid intrusion into the vehicle. Other embodiments include containing the guardrail in an impact head of a guardrail terminal, which also avoids vehicle intrusion.

A cable anchor deflector bracket includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is coupled to a guardrail at a location adjacent to a cable anchor bracket, which is an attachment point where a cable couples to the guardrail. The second portion slopes outwardly away from the guardrail and is proximate to an end of the cable anchor bracket and the end of the cable anchor assembly.

A force-absorbing barrier includes a plurality of chambers at least partially filled with fluid. The walls defining the chambers are flexible. Fluid passages in the interior walls between chambers allow fluid flow between the chambers. Alternatively, the chambers are filled with structures instead of or in addition to a fluid. The fluid flow from chamber to chamber and/or the deformation of the structures will absorb energy from the impact a motor vehicle, preventing the vehicle from impacting the terminal of a guardrail.

A guardrail vehicle crash absorbing assembly including a braking structure at a panel joint including a tooth having a cutting portion for making a horizontal cut in a rail panel slidably moving relative to another rail panel.

A guardrail extruder head includes: top and bottom feeder channels; an impact plate having a face for facing oncoming traffic, wherein the face of the impact plate has an upper substantially planar area and a lower substantially planar area separated by a horizontal tooth projecting out between the upper and lower areas; a top plate connecting the impact plate to the top feeder channel; a bottom plate connecting the impact plate to the bottom feeder channel; a front extruder plate coupled between the top and bottom plates; a curved deflector plate attached to the front extruder plate and coupled between the top and bottom plates; a front brace on the front extruder plate near the curved deflector plate and coupled between the top and bottom plates; a back extruder plate opposite to the front extruder plate and coupled between the top and bottom plates.

A highway crash attenuation system having an improved breakaway guardrail post. An improved upper section of Post 1 has an anchor bearing plate with a cooperating stabilizing bolt engaging with the upstream face of the upper post section. The downstream side of the upper post section is provided with split, spaced-apart strut sections which do not obstruct the rear cable pass through notch.

A crash cushion includes overlapping first and second rail sections coupled with a fastener. The first rail section is moveable relative to the second rail section from a pre-impact position to an impact position in response to an axial impact to the guardrail assembly. The first rail section includes an elongated slot aligned with the fastener and having a first length. A support post is releasably connected to the first rail section and is rotatable to a laid over position after the first rail section has moved a first travel distance, wherein the first length is greater than or equal to the first travel distance.