A class action investigation has been launched against Trinity Industries after it was discovered that some of their highway guard rail components may have been defectively made in a way that made them unreasonably dangerous to drivers.

Trinity allegedly took manufacturing shortcuts to cut down on the costs, which caused the finished highway guard rail components to be made in a way that was dangerous to drivers.

A highway guard rail is equipped with a “rail head” or “end terminal”, which is designed to peel the rail off the posts it is attached to and away from the vehicle. This is supposed to help lower the chances of car accident fatalities, so the end point does not cut into the car.

The Trinity highway guard rail products in question, however, reportedly had an inch shaved off the end terminals, which allegedly causes the metal to impale cars upon impact instead of peeling away.

According to a recent study by Car and Driver, this design change reportedly made the risk of a fatal car accident four times more likely compared to the previous Trinity guard rail design. The study also said that several states have banned further Trinity highway guard rail posts being installed until further notice.

Overview of Trinity Highway Guard Rail Problems

Trinity Industries has been manufacturing guardrails in the United States for years. The company has half a million guard rails throughout the country, but allegedly started redesigning their highway guard rails in 2005. During this change, Trinity allegedly failed to notify the Federal Highway Administration (FHA).

According to the FHA, guard rail end terminals need to be manufactured in a way that allows the product to absorb the impact force from an oncoming vehicle. This allows the car to slide alongside the guard rail, while pushing the guard rail face to the side.

This design is essentially meant to allow the end terminal to peel off when it is struck end-on by a car traveling over 62 miles per hour. However, critics say the recent changes to Trinity guard rail components have inhibited this function, making them very dangerous to drivers.

Trinity reportedly made their Trinity ET-Plus an inch smaller, which made the width of the steel channel behind the guard rail end four inches wide instead of the standard five inches. This loss of an inch reportedly does not give sufficient room for the guard rail face to fall apart inside the channel like it is supposed to, making the guard rail more like a spear rather than a barrier.

Furthermore, a whistleblower alleges the affected Trinity guard rail components cannot be reused, which means new guard rail systems would have to be purchased and implemented. According to an internal email, engineering currently estimates that Trinity saved $50,000 per year and would save $250,000 in the next five years.

The new Trinity highway guard rail components have already reportedly caused serious injuries like amputations and even death, with over a dozen lawsuits already filed against the company. Some of these victims have reportedly received bills to replace the defective Trinity guard rail components, which further adds to the victims’ trauma.

Car accident victims and their families who allegedly suffered injuries from Trinity highway guard rail components may be able to file legal action to seek potential compensation.