ARRESTING BEHAVIOUR

This article briefly describes some 'reusable' crash cushions that have been developed in response to the escalating costs which are limiting the use of conventional crash cushions in the USA. Although they are second only to seat belts in preventing road fatalities in the USA, conventional crash cushions have very high repair and replacement costs. At the same time, compensation payable for a fatality can exceed $1 million. Early in 1995, Roadway International introduced its REACT 350 (Reusable Energy Absorbing Crash Terminal), a cushion that uses 'indestructible' high-density polyethylene barrels to absorb the energy of frontal collisions, and steel cables to redirect a vehicle in high-speed side impacts. It was tested to the demanding NCHRP 350 (National Cooperative Highway Research Program 350) specifications, a new testing format defining recommended procedures for the safety performance evaluation of highway features in the USA. Another American company, Energy Absorption Systems, recently introduced Cushionwall as a road safety device designed for high-frequency lateral impact areas. Each of Cushionwall's sections contains 12 energy-absorbing reusable elastomeric cylinders supported by a steel framework and by steel cables.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/25073860
• Corporate Authors:

  Route One Publishing Limited

  19/21 High Street
  Sutton, Surrey SM1 1DJ,   England 
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 73
• Serial:
  • World Highways/Routes du Monde
  • Volume: 4
  • Issue Number: 8
  • Publisher: Route One Publishing Limited
  • ISSN: 0964-4598
  • Serial URL: http://www.worldhighways.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adsorption; Costs; Crash cushions; Crashes; Drums (Containers); Energy; Evaluation and assessment; Fatalities; Indemnity; Polyvinyl hydrocarbons; Repairing; Safety
• Geographic Terms: United States
• ITRD Terms: 7154: Adsorption; 1631: Collision; 224: Cost; 213: Energy; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 1602: Fatality; 1548: Indemnity; 7422: Polyvinylhydrocarbon; 3635: Repair; 1665: Safety; 8122: USA
• Subject Areas: Energy; Finance; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00720816
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: May 24 1996 12:00AM