ET Guardrail Resources

The Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) has earned an international reputation for its leadership in highway safety research and engineering. In 24 years of service the ET Plus® guardrail end-terminal system and its predecessor, the ET 2000, have helped saved lives and reduce injuries in highway accidents across the country and worldwide.

The device has a long history of successful testing and eligibility from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). TTI’s testing of roadway safety designs is rigorous and conducted in accordance with national guidelines and standards, and professional engineering practices. The FHWA has reviewed ET Plus® system crash test data on several occasions and repeatedly accepted the ET Plus® system as eligible for federal reimbursement.

Even with the best safety precautions, there’s no such thing as a “safe crash.” End-terminal systems are designed to help dissipate the energy of an impact, but the amount of energy that is dissipated depends on a number of factors, including impact angle, vehicle type, weight, impact speed, and impact location—as well as proper installation, maintenance and repair of the ET Plus® system. Safety devices cannot be designed to prevent all deaths and injuries in violent crashes; people wearing seatbelts, a well-recognized and effective safety device, can still be killed or injured under certain crash conditions.

The range of tests carried out for the ET Plus® system in December and January was unprecedented—it was more extensive and rigorous than any other guardrail end-terminal system has ever undergone. We are pleased, but not surprised, that such rigorous testing validates our confidence in the ET Plus® system. Our top priority is and always has been to develop systems to help save lives, which we accomplish through a commitment to excellence in engineering and safety.

• U.S. Court of Appeals Reverses Ruling in Guardrail Lawsuit (10-4-17)
  A TTI statement announcing the reversal of the 2014 federal jury verdict.

• TTI Response to VDOT Release of Non-Standard Crash Test Results
  (12-27-15)
  A TTI statement in response to the results of the non-standard crash tests performed on the ET Plus® by the Virginia Department of Transportation and Commonwealth of Virginia.

• TTI Response to VDOT on Non-Standard Crash Tests (10-26-15)
  A letter to Virginia Transportation Commissioner Charles Kilpatrick on the Virginia Department of Transportation and Commonwealth of Virginia’s recent non-standard and arbitrary crash testing of the ET Plus® end-terminal system.

• TTI Criticizes Arbitrary, Non-Standard Crash Tests Performed by Virginia (10-01-15)
  TTI response to the arbitrary, non-standard crash tests being performed on the ET Plus® by the Virginia Department of Transportation and Commonwealth of Virginia.

• TTI Has No Confidence in the Crash Tests Being Performed by Virginia
  (09-18-15)
  TTI response to the additional crash tests being performed on the ET Plus® by the Virginia Department of Transportation and Commonwealth of Virginia, including non-standard tests.

• No Further Testing Warranted for ET Plus® According to FHWA/AASHTO Task Force (09-11-15)
  TTI response to FHWA/AASHTO Task Force Report, which found no reason for further testing of the ET Plus® guardrail end-terminal system.

• Letter to VDOT on Additional ET Plus Testing (09-10-15)
  A letter to Virginia Transportation Commissioner Charles Kilpatrick on the Virginia Department of Transportation and Commonwealth of Virginia’s plans to conduct additional crash tests on the ET Plus, including non-standard tests.

• ET Plus® Guardrail End-Terminal System Passes All Eight Independent Crash Tests Under FHWA Oversight (03-13-15)
  A TTI press release that explains the newest crash test report from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) confirms — yet again — that the ET Plus® guardrail end-terminal system (ET Plus®) meets federal criteria and is an effective highway safety product—the system has passed the second series of four independent crash tests, for a total of eight passed tests.

• Letter to AASHTO Regarding the Eighth Crash Test (03-13-15)
  A letter from AASHTO explaining that the eight crash test conducted on January 27, 2015, passed.

• FHWA Investigation Finds No Evidence of Multiple Versions of ET Plus® (03-11-15)
  A TTI press release confirming FHWA found no evidence that there are multiple versions of the ET-Plus® guardrail end-terminal system on the nation’s roadways.

• FHWA Report Confirms ET Plus® Guardrail End-Terminal System Passed First Four Tests (02-06-15)
  A TTI press release regarding the success of the first four tests of the ET-Plus® guardrail end-treatment system.

• FHWA Releases Results and Analysis of the First Four Crash Tests of ET-Plus Guardrail End Terminals (02-06-15)
  A link to the FHWA press release with link to the full report detailing the successful completion of the first four tests of the ET-Plus® guardrail end-treatment system.

• Trinity and TTI Author a Joint Letter to AASHTO (02-06-15)
  A joint letter from TTI and Trinity to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials regarding the success of the first four tests of the ET-Plus® guardrail end-treatment system.

• How We Know It Works (12-09-14)
  A brief explanation of how the ET Plus® guardrail end-terminal system is expected to perform on the nation’s roadway system.

• NCHRP Report 350 Summary (12-04-14)
  A summary of the FHWA testing standards used to evaluate the ET Plus® guardrail end-terminal system.

• ET Plus® Development History (12-17-14)
  Background information on the evolution of the ET Plus® and the role guardrail end-terminal systems play in highway safety.

• History of Roadside Safety at TTI (12-16-14)
  A history of some of TTI’s roadside safety innovations.