One of the harsh realities of driving on roads, and in particular motorways, is that incidents which see drivers lose control of their vehicles are going to happen. On average on the motorways alone there are just over 15 incidents every single day here in the UK. Whether they happen via negligence or through genuinely unforeseeable issues affecting a car, it is of paramount importance to ensure that the amount of damage caused, and potential risk to other motorists, can be reduced as far as possible. We supply quality Armco motorway barriers, which are widely regarded as being the most effective way to achieve both of these factors.
Armco motorway barriers provide two vital services to people driving along motorways, highways and dual carriageways. The most obvious of these is that they effectively prevent a vehicle from accidentally crossing over to the other side of the road and risk driving head-first into oncoming traffic. There have been numerous cases where stretches of road not protected and parted by Armco motorway barriers have witnessed terrible accidents where one car has crossed over and hit oncoming traffic. Having these barriers in place prevents accidents and literally saves lives.
The second service they provide is in drastically limiting the damage caused when an out of control car hits them. Not only do Armco motorway barriers stop cars from crossing over into oncoming traffic, but they also ensure vehicles are not flung back into the flow of traffic in the lane that they were in. Whilst these barriers are made to be strong enough to prevent a vehicle from breaking through them, the steel used remains remarkably flexible. Armco motorway barriers are exceptional in absorbing the full impact of a vehicle hitting them – even at the high speeds associated with motorway driving. They flex inwards to accommodate the vehicle, helping to both slow down the car and to prevent it from either diverting or “bouncing back” into the rest of the traffic on the road.
It is mostly due to these reasons that the majority of UK motorways feature Armco motorway barriers between carriageways to help limit the damage caused by incidents. In some cases, however, motorists will have noticed that in some places the traditional, trusted Armco barriers are being replaced by what seems to be concrete walls. This approach is being used in locations frequently used by long, heavy trucks, where a substantially reinforced level of protection is essential to keep motorists safe. The sheer weight of some of the trucks on the road these days, coupled with the likelihood of an incident, mean that the preferred choice of protection cannot be safely deployed.
The use of Armco motorway barriers is not, of course, limited to keeping lanes and carriageways separate. They are relatively lightweight, do not pose any particular challenge to install and are not as obtrusive or unsightly as concrete walls, which makes them ideal to install at any area which has natural surroundings that could pose a risk or threat to motorists. They are, for example, ideal for offering a protective barrier on sharp corners where motorists are likely to slip or crash into a verge, hedge or field. In rural areas, these protective barriers also serve to ensure no cattle or livestock venture out onto the roads where they could well cause an accident. Placing them on roads around hills and steep inclines has also been shown time and again as a way to prevent cars rolling out of control down hillsides, something which has helped save many lives.
With traffic volumes seemingly forever increasing, many property owners are also opting to use Armco motorway barriers in towns and cities. The unobtrusive yet highly effective crash barriers we provide give a reliable level of protection to buildings, especially those close to busy intersections and in areas where there is a high chance of accidents happening. Placing these barriers around buildings can ensure that they are not structurally damaged if a vehicle collides with them, and do not obstruct or take over any of the pedestrian walkway around them.
To help ensure safety and damage limitation is in place as and when an accident or incident occurs on the road, Armco motorway barriers have proved to be effective to the point of peerless. We are proud to supply this safe, strong and reliable crash barrier to protect drivers on our roads.