Skip to main content

Safe trailer system

Barrier Systems is extending its line with the introduction of its new U-MAD trailer-mounted attenuator (TMA). This uses the proven U-MAD technology and is intended to make work zones safer for highway maintenance personnel. These TMA units can be used to protect errant motorists who collide with slow moving or stationary shadow vehicles, improving safety for the motorist and the support vehicle operator, as well as shielding highway workers.
March 8, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Barrier Systems is extending its line with the U-MAD trailer mounted attenuator
165 Barrier Systems is extending its line with the introduction of its new U-MAD trailer-mounted attenuator (TMA). This uses the proven U-MAD technology and is intended to make work zones safer for highway maintenance personnel. These TMA units can be used to protect errant motorists who collide with slow moving or stationary shadow vehicles, improving safety for the motorist and the support vehicle operator, as well as shielding highway workers.

The U-MAD TMA is designed to keep the impacting vehicle and support vehicle in the travel lane, even when the crash occurs at an angle. The innovative design allows the U-MAD TMA to be re-used after impact by replacing the cartridge with an easy to install standard U-MAD, reducing costs for the user. The U-MAD TMAs quickly attach to a standard pintle hook, have been fully tested in accordance with 1257 National Cooperative Highway Research Program 350 (NCHRP 350), and are accepted by the FHWA for use on the Federal Highway System. The U-MAD TMAs are available in two styles, TL-2 with a 70km/h capacity or TL-3 with a 100km/h capacity.

Both are said to offer high stability in angled and offset impacts, and provide effective containment of a vehicle to keep it from entering adjacent lanes during impact.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New safety barrier solutions protect road users
    February 21, 2012
    Novel safety barrier solutions are coming to market, writes Mike Woof The safety barrier market is a focus for innovative products designed to meet a range of different applications. The diverse range of vehicle types on the road poses numerous technical challenges to barrier manufacturers. At the same time, different applications such as motorcycle safety, end treatments, bridge barriers and roadside obstacle protection require novel solutions. Although motorcycles account for only a small proportion of ve
  • Motorcycle-Guardrail Crashes: How can the risk of severe injury and fatality be reduced?
    July 23, 2012
    The problem: motorcyclist fatalities can occur from a variety of accidents. But in the United States in 2005, motorcyclists comprised 42% of fatalities due to guardrail collisions, whereas only 3% of vehicles on the roads were motorcycles (Gabler, 2007). More motorcyclists were killed in guardrail collisions than passengers of any other vehicle type in 2005 (Gabler, 2007). Guardrails cannot simply be removed to protect motorcyclists. However, improvements need to be made in several areas in order to keep mo
  • The MBT-1 from Mobile Barriers now protecting workers in the UK
    July 16, 2019
    Two giant US-made 21m-long mobile barriers are now keeping highway maintenance workers safe in England. The 16tonne barriers were made in by Mobile Barriers, based in Denver, in the state of Colorado. They have been deployed in the West Midlands region of England in collaboration with UK highways maintenance contractor Kier. With yearly operating costs of US$17,000, the MBT-1 can pay for itself with nominal usage, according to the manufacturer. This could be in less than two years with 10-15 lane clos
  • Ohio reveals worrying data on workzone crashes
    April 23, 2013
    New data from the US state of Ohio reveals worryingly high levels of highway construction work zone deaths. Fatalities in the state’s highway work zones doubled in the period from 2009-2011, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The figures are the most recent available and include both motorists and construction workers. Meanwhile, ODOT is piloting a new program aimed at reducing vehicle crashes and making construction work zones safer. “ODOT tries to do all we can to e