Dutco Tennant LLC

  When designing highway safety infrastructure, selecting the appropriate impact attenuation system is just as important as choosing guardrails, barriers, or median protection solutions. Different roadway environments present different risks, and not every crash cushion is designed to respond in the same way. Engineers and road authorities often face a common question during project planning: should a redirective or non-redirective crash cushion be installed? The answer depends on traffic conditions, roadway geometry, available space, and the type of impacts most likely to occur at the installation location. Not All Crash Cushions Behave the Same Way Although all crash cushions are designed to reduce collision severity, their performance during a vehicle impact can differ significantly. Some systems are designed primarily to absorb energy during a head-on collision, while others can both absorb impact energy and redirect a vehicle back toward the roadway. Understanding this distin...