What speeds are used for crash tests?
The highest speed used for testing is 100 kilometers per hour (approximately 62 mph). The federal government, other states and WSDOT have not conducted tests at higher speeds because less than 2 percent of all crashes exceed the speed and impact angle used in tests. An increase in the test speed or change in vehicle type would affect the performance of all barriers WSDOT installs. Beam guardrail, precast concrete, rigid concrete and cable barrier systems are likely to exhibit periodic failures with increases in crash speeds or impact angles that are at the outer edges of the actual circumstances in which the barriers are anticipated to perform. Keeping vehicles on the road Over the last 10 years, WSDOT’s efforts to improve highway safety have included engineering to help drivers keep their cars on the road and to lessen the safety consequences when they fail to do so. We have installed rumble strips, improved and straightened curves, widened highway shoulders, improved medians and inst
