[bert]

——We have people constantly driving into trees and houses.——

And guard rails.

I spend a lot of time driving on Interstate Highways. There is a mystery.

Why are there so many instances of the ends of guard rails being hit, damaged, destroyed? There seems to be a vary large disproportion of guard rail ends being rolled up as opposed to hits somewhere along the length.

[Does so]

Most ends are designed to be “crumple-zones”.

[melsec]

Drivers on Ice explains a lot of crazy driving. It’s a major issue in my city in Australia.

[luvbach1]

A lot of guard rail ends are protected by sand-filled barrels, even in infrastructure-declining California.

[elcid1970]

“Why are there so many instances of the ends of guard rails being hit, damaged, destroyed?”

And the guard rails look like tinfoil rolled up. Time was, guard rails were made of heavy gauge steel and even a glancing collision with one could be fatal.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I've observed smashed and dented guardrails for years. Also lots of circular tire marks on the concrete barriers that often line the tight curves on freeway exits. Lots of people falling asleep or not paying attention, I guess.

In the old days, guardrails just ended abruptly and made a very nice skewer for your automobile. About 30 or more years ago they made the logical safety change of smoothly ending the guardrail into the ground. It ended a lot of the skewering, but not all of it.