Sand-filled barrel crash cushions and the Minnesota bullnose guardrail are two types of impact attenuators which protect errant vehicles from collisions with roadside hazards. This study is the result of a need to evaluate the effectiveness of these two devices in reducing the severity of accidents.
The emphasis of this study was placed on the safety performance of crash cushions using the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 230 crash testing criteria as guidelines for evaluation. Results of full-scale crash testing of these two devices were used as a model of actual accidents involving these impact attenuators.
