Also known as an impact attenuator, is a device intended to reduce damage to structures, vehicles, and motorists resulting from a motor vehicle collision. Impact attenuators are designed to absorb the colliding vehicle’s kinetic energy. They may also be designed to redirect the vehicle away from the hazard or away from roadway machinery and workers. Impact attenuators are usually placed in front of fixed structures near highways, such as gore points, the crash barrier introductions, or overpass supports. Temporary versions may be used for road construction projects.
There are three variations of crash cushions,
- Redirective, Non-Gating
Designed to absorb the energy of an errant vehicle when impacted head-on and shall redirect an errant vehicle away from a hazard when impacted on the side at any point beyond the nose of the system. Non-gating systems are ideal for use when a clear zone is not available. - Redirective, Gating
Designed to absorb the energy of an errant vehicle when impacted head-on and shall fold away and allow the errant vehicle to come to rest in an AASHTO-approved clear zone. - Non-Redirective
Designed only to absorb the energy of an errant vehicle with no redirective capability.
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