Why Guardrails Are Deadly for Motorcyclists

Newer US guardrails stand 31 inches tall, near the top of a car's hood. Their bottom edge is about 19 inches up, so a fallen rider slides right under it. Twelve miles an hour is a rough figure; in crash studies, the slowest deadly post hit we found was about 16. That low rail is a rub rail, or motorcyclist protection system, set an inch or two off the ground. Parts of Europe, Australia and New Zealand use them, and Texas has tested one. In Europe's test, a dummy slides into it at 37 miles an hour and must not get stuck. This 3D animation shows illustrated crashes and a generic guardrail, partly in slow motion. The bike, the rider and the road are generic designs. #Shorts #Motorcycle #RoadSafety