W-Beams and Road Safety
W-beam guardrails are semi-rigid barriers that absorb some of the energy of a colliding vehicle. Upon impact, energy is distributed through the guardrail system, effectively spreading it out to minimize the severity of accidents. This characteristic also helps reduce the risk of vehicles breaking through the guardrail. However, it is impossible to guarantee that a vehicle traveling at high speed with high ground clearance will not break through the barrier.
These beams also redirect vehicles upon impact, guiding the vehicle along the rail on a safe travel path and away from unforgiving objects and terrain beyond the rail.