Road safety barriers give you a second chance, so a person’s mistake doesn’t result in loss of lives or life changing serious injuries.
Along the roadside, barriers can ‘catch’ your vehicle that has left the road, grabbing you before you hit something harder – like a pole, tree or ditch.
By physically separating you from opposing traffic, median barriers prevent head-on crashes which is how many people are killed or seriously injured on our roads. This means if you lose control or drift across the centreline, you’re going to be protected from significant harm.
We use a range of road safety barriers throughout New Zealand on both roadsides and along the centreline of the road—this includes flexible barriers, steel guardrails, as well as concrete blocks to separate traffic. You’ll see flexible road safety barriers mostly used throughout New Zealand, particularly as median barriers.
Flexible road safety barriers keep your vehicle on the road. When you hit a flexible barrier, the high-tension wire cables flex, slowing your vehicle and keeping it upright.
Flexible road safety barriers are designed to absorb the impact and protect you and others in the vehicle. They are also designed so your vehicle is not deflected into another traffic lane.
Flexible road safety barriers are a good fit for New Zealand roads as they can often be installed without significantly widening the road. They’re narrow and work best on long, straight sections and gentle curves.
This video shows a real-life example of how median barriers prevent a serious crash. Before crashing with a large truck in the opposing lane, the car approaching the centreline was stopped. Thanks to the flexible barrier in the middle, both drivers were able to go home to their families and friends and with no serious injuries.
This video shows a real-life example of how median barriers are protecting people in Aotearoa. Before crashing with a large truck in the opposing lane, the car approaching the centreline was stopped. Thanks to the flexible barrier in the middle, both drivers were able to go home to their families and friends and with no serious injuries.
Technical information on flexible road safety barriers can be found below:
Flexible road safety barriers
Where there are median barriers, you may need to travel a bit further to turn right, or turnaround, to access a road or driveway.
Turnaround bays provide people driving, including in large vehicles, a place to turn safely.
Benefits of turnaround bays include:
Turnaround bays are going to become more common as more median barrier is installed across Aotearoa. They will be located on a state highway or on connecting local roads.
Watch the below video to see how you use a turnaround bay:
If you ride a motorcycle, you are at a higher risk of being seriously injured or killed on our roads, as you’re more vulnerable in a crash.
Many people who are injured or killed while riding a motorcycle are struck by vehicles where the driver has lost control and, in some circumstances, crossed the centre line. Studies in Sweden show flexible median barriers can reduce the number of motorcyclists killed by up to 50 percent.
Roadside and median flexible safety barriers are highly effective in preventing deaths and injuries for all road users including motorcyclists.
We’re investing in improved roads and roadsides that are safer for motorcyclists. Motorcyclists are more likely to survive an impact with a flexible road safety barrier than an impact with trees, poles or oncoming vehicles which the barrier will prevent them striking in a crash.
The University of New South Wales has undertaken an in-depth analysis of motorcycle impacts into roadside barriers in both New Zealand and Australia. The data shows that barriers of any kind contributed to a very small percentage of motorcycle fatalities.
