New guardrail system being tested to improve road safety

[ChaosMyth]

 

SINGAPORE - A stretch of yellow-barreled rails over 20m in length was recently installed along the road shoulder of the slip road leading to the start of the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) towards Woodlands.

 

The rails resemble the rolling barrier system, a road safety feature, seen in several countries including Malaysia, Australia and the United States.

 

Singapore Road Safety Council chairman Bernard Tay told The Straits Times the new guardrails are better at absorbing the impact from a vehicle crash.

 

"It behaves like a shock absorber," said Mr Tay. "Unlike conventional metal barriers, this system absorbs the (crash) impact and deflects it, making it safer for the driver and reduces the likelihood of a vehicle crashing through the barrier."

 

ST understands the system is new here. It is being tested by the Land Transport Authority which will soon be giving details about it.

 

A close inspection of the "barrels" with reflective markers reveal they were manufactured by a South Korean company called Evolution in Traffic Innovation (ETI)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXVUAR5kjOA

 

So how does the rolling barrier system work? When a vehicle hits the guardrail, the rotating barrels convert the shockwaves to rotational energy.

 

The railway-type rails in the system also absorb the shockwaves while simultaneously guiding the accident vehicle away from the impact zone. In theory, this helps prevent unwanted rear-end collisions.

 

The size and speed of a vehicle may affect the performance of the safety barrier.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdPmlriLSkQ

 

The latest road safety technology, however, does not come cheap. The cost of installing 1m of the Roller System is reported to range between US$300 (S$414) and US$400 (S$553). But the cost of maintaining the guardrails apparently will be low as only damaged parts need to be replaced following a crash. In Mr Tay's view, the price is a small one to pay.

 

"It's a good thing that LTA is making an effort to put in new innovation," he said.

 

"Hopefully it (the rolling barrier system) saves more lives and reduces the injury to motorists."

[Vratenza]

I suspect next up...they will surround each ERP Gantry base structure with this guardrail.....

 

 

High Value Target.....

 

 

There goes our MCF motorists' prayers......

Edited November 13, 2018 by Vratenza

[BanCoe]

Looking at the video it does not show what happens next to the vehicle  now that the guard rail while maybe absorbing the impact will push the car towards a new trajectory which will be back on the road and other car users will get hit from this so called runaway car.. i think lagi worse situation.... damage guard rail is better and it absorbs the impact and only affect that car only

 

Hope I'm wrong   

 

.... anyway after the accident the integrity of the guard rails has already been affected and still need to replace what so what difference does it make to an uprooted barrier hit by the vehicle??   

Edited November 13, 2018 by BanCoe

[Fcw75]

I posted this before here and LTA really decide to try it. I think it’s useful leh. Let’s see who will be the first guinea pig...haha.

[Heman75]

Looking at the video it does not show what happens next to the vehicle  now that the guard rail while maybe absorbing the impact will push the car towards a new trajectory which will be back on the road and other car users will get hit from this so called runaway car.. i think lagi worse situation.... damage guard rail is better and it absorbs the impact and only affect that car only

 

Hope I'm wrong   

 

.... anyway after the accident the integrity of the guard rails has already been affected and still need to replace what so what difference does it make to an uprooted barrier hit by the vehicle??   

fully agreed

[BanCoe]

I posted this before here and LTA really decide to try it. I think itâs useful leh. Letâs see who will be the first guinea pig...haha.

1st guinea pig Kenna , the baskit corntractor will quote anyhow 1 surely and make money

 

Aiyah just becos Malaysia do it or have it - SG oso must follow

[Vratenza]

Agree.... and also it seem to work mainly for sideswipe situations... how about a car that lost control, and hit the barrier at 90 degree angle...will the impact be absorbed as well? or the whole barrier will topple over?

 

Looking at the video it does not show what happens next to the vehicle  now that the guard rail while maybe absorbing the impact will push the car towards a new trajectory which will be back on the road and other car users will get hit from this so called runaway car.. i think lagi worse situation.... damage guard rail is better and it absorbs the impact and only affect that car only

 

Hope I'm wrong   

 

.... anyway after the accident the integrity of the guard rails has already been affected and still need to replace what so what difference does it make to an uprooted barrier hit by the vehicle??   

 

[BanCoe]

Agree.... and also it seem to work mainly for sideswipe situations... how about a car that lost control, and hit the barrier at 90 degree angle...will the impact be absorbed as well? or the whole barrier will topple over?

I oso not well versed .... the video ( very myopic) shows only a limited area of what happens in fact the rollers will make the car slide or glide more ( and no video after that ) compared to current bollards or metal protrusions which will sort of dead stop the car more or less and absorb the full impact ..... as I mentioned the integrity of the whole structure is still compromised and has to be changed as now there is a push and pull factor involved

[RogerNg_185295]

Its just the testing phase. Why you people so critical of LTA?

[ChaosMyth]

I posted this before here and LTA really decide to try it. I think it’s useful leh. Let’s see who will be the first guinea pig...haha.

 

Many years ago this was widely shared on fb too. sg quite slow for a 1st world country.

[Fcw75]

Agree.... and also it seem to work mainly for sideswipe situations... how about a car that lost control, and hit the barrier at 90 degree angle...will the impact be absorbed as well? or the whole barrier will topple over?

That’s why need a real life volunteer...haha.

 

Sure LTA will cameras pointing at that area.

[Fastfive1]

You know why the guardrail is placed at that spot right? So many morons lose control of their vehicle on a wet day and slam into the left guard rail. One incident happened right in front of me, a VW golf tried to take the corner super fast and ended up veering to the left and smashed into the guard rail. Oh what a sight. 

[Banz86]

Many years ago this was widely shared on fb too. sg quite slow for a 1st world country.

 

Totally agree.. Many years back when I was driving back in Aust, they already have it installed.

 

I watched the videos on Youtube as well, the tests shows it being "safer" for occupants in vehicles. 

[Mkl22]

should try installing it at the bottom of ECP rochor exit. i see the barrier getting smashed every other week.

 

it used to be the left bend along PIE before the clementi road exit. but ever since they removed the speed cam and widened the road. hardly any accidents there now.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Mkl22

[Kb27]

the rolling guard rail will push back vehicles onto the road.

if the vehicle is already out of control, it might spin it or crashed into other vehicles besides.

it's good, but it's not perfect.

Edited November 13, 2018 by Kb27

[Fastfive1]

should try installing it at the bottom of ECP rochor exit. i see the barrier getting smashed every other week.

 

it used to be the left bend along PIE before the clementi road exit. but ever since they removed the speed cam and widened the road. hardly any accidents there now.

 

Hahahaha. Man that is so true. New bumpers every week. If I had a lorry, i think i would go there in the middle of the night to collect the various bumpers for fun. That bend is super easy to corner but people still f**k up. LOL

[Ash2017]

one question when it is damaged who is going to pay for repairs and replacement?

[DACH]

Very interesting.

Let's see if it works well here and the costs that can really be saved.