When people imagine a vehicle crashing into a roadside barrier, they often picture a shallow-angle drift-off scenario. However, the reality is that barrier systems are struck at a wide variety of angles.
The angle of impact is influenced not only by road geometry but also by the lane departure dynamics. For example, as shown in the video below, when a vehicle begins to yaw (sliding side to side), it often leaves the road at much steeper angles.
This variability is why light vehicle and pick-up truck tests under the MASH (Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware) are conducted at a 25-degree angle. While this is relatively high, it reflects the majority of real-world crash angles.
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