You will find road impact attenuators that vary according to the impact energy they have to absorb
The road crash cushion is the part that can save the life of the driver and passengers if an accident. Impact attenuators can prevent up to 80% of deaths due to collisions with obstacles protected by this mechanism.
It is a protective device consisting of a deformable structure which, upon impact, breaks the car and retracts. In this way, it absorbs all or part of the impact and thus considerably reduces the number of casualties, injuries, and damage.
The road impact cushion, also known as crash cushion, is an indispensable road safety feature on the roads. Its installation is widespread and its quality and effectiveness has increased considerably in just a few years. We must not forget that due to the objectives it has to fulfil, and the strong impacts it has to respond to, it is a part that is subjected to demanding quality controls and test tests.
How does the road impact attenuator work?
The road impact attenuator has a meccano-like structure, the base of which is supported by a concrete wall and consists of telescopic steel panels which, when the vehicle impacts, are pushed into each other by rails cut into the sheet metal. Thanks to these rails, the system is not deformed or destroyed.
The inside of the panels contain box-shaped crossbeams filled with polyurethane foam or various aluminium tubes. When the car hits them, they deform and absorb the energy of the impact because if they were to return to their original shape, a spring effect would occur and the vehicle would bounce back onto the road.
Road impact attenuator models at T2S Ibérica
On the T2S Ibérica website, you will find a parallel impact attenuator model and a non-parallel impact attenuator.
The parallel impact attenuator is placed at road intersections, motorway exits and areas with a high risk of accidents. Its purpose is to safeguard the life of the driver and occupants by absorbing the impact energy. The non-parallel crash cushion offers the same features as the parallel crash cushion, but in addition redirects the vehicle away from the hazard.
Both impact attenuators offer many advantages for road safety:
- They redirect the vehicle after impact
- They are easily repairable; once they have been involved in a collision, the panels can be quickly replaced.
- As road safety elements, they are highly visible both day and night thanks to their contrasting front colours and delineators.
- They offer a refined design with orange plastic tanks.
Both models meet several technical specifications as they have been tested at the Transport Research Laboratory in the UK as a redirectional impact attenuator for the maximum speed of 100 km/h in accordance with EN1317-3. In order to fully meet the definition of an impact attenuator, Shindo conducted further tests for the 110 km/h, 80 km/h and 50 km/h models.
T2S Ibérica has four models of impact attenuator speed, both parallel and non-parallel, which are the CCSI 50 km/h, CSSI 80 km/h, CSSI 100 km/h and CCSI 110 km/h for which more information is available on request. You can therefore choose one model or another depending on the characteristics of the road and the impact they have to absorb in the event of an accident.
Do you need additional information on the road impact attenuator?
Our team has unique training, experience and knowledge of the sector. However, we are a company specialized in all types of elements for road safety: such as high-visibility PPE and retro-reflective materials for road signs, beacons, and vehicle markings.
We have been leading the sector since 1991, ensuring that our customers are well advised at all times, offering them a solution adapted to their needs.
Do not hesitate to contact us, at T2S Ibérica we are at your disposal, and we will provide you with the information you need regarding the characteristics of road impact attenuators.
