One company is looking to change that. Sicking Safety Systems designed guardrails that have passed collision tests at 77.5 mph, faster than any other guardrail in the country as far as the designers are aware. Some of these guardrails were recently installed on Interstate 75 in Lenoir City.

This new system is called NGT which stands for both Next Generation Terminal and Non-Gating Terminal in reference to how the guardrail won’t let cars pass through the barrier, according to Dr. Kevin Schrum, program director at Sicking Safety Systems, the company that funded the development of this guardrail.

The non-gating also helps prevent vehicles from colliding with potentially deadly hazards beyond the guardrail such as bodies of water.

Schrum explained the NGT has passed tests at higher speeds than any other guardrail of which he is aware. Normally, guardrails are tested at speeds of 62 mph in compliance with MASH — the manual for assessing safety hardware. However, the NGT system has passed tests at speeds of 77.5 mph. This is important because, in Lenoir City, it is guarding a road with a speed limit of 70 mph. Schrum explained the collision in their test had “about 50% more energy” than in usual tests.