Originally Posted by: aschlemanYou're referring to median barriers that run parallel to the roads?? The possibility of a car hitting a parallel object to it's route of travel while traveling at 70 mph... with enough force to kill a grown person is very unlikely... In the rare case that a car swerves then over corrects the opposite direction... and heads straight for the median barrier... the car would slide... thus the cars bulk momentum is still parallel to the barrier... Even though it's sliding toward the barrier..... I don't know if that makes sense... Anyway... if a car hits a median barrier... the impact is much less than you may think it would be.... And most barriers in the US are made to absorb impact. They are actually hollowed out on the inside... so that the barrier absorbs the forces of the car... this also keeps that car from ricocheting back into traffic... On the other hand... roads with no median barriers have a lot higher death tolls... due to people falling asleep at the wheel and going across the median into oncoming traffic... or going off the road... subsequently flipping vehicles or hitting telephone poles and such....... Hope that puts your mind at ease a little!

well, all the accidents I have seen into those barriers have involved cars ricchetting off of other cars into the barrier.

It is reassurring to know that the barriers are designed to take impact...thanks for your insight...there was actually quite alot in there that I nver considered or knew.