Guide rails are used to prevent people and vehicles from entering dangerous areas, and are required in public places with inclines of 30 inches or more. They can be made of various materials and must have closely spaced bars. Highway guide rails can cause controversy as they may deflect cars into traffic, so collapsible rails are becoming more popular.
A guide rail, also known as a handrail, is a type of construction that is intended to prevent people and vehicles from entering dangerous areas. Guide rails are frequently installed in public areas to prevent people from falling or walking in an unsafe place. In most parts of the world, any public place that includes an incline of 30″ (76.2m) or more must also include a guide rail.
It is not uncommon to find a guide rail along a hiking trail, roadway, in a scenic area, or encircling the outer edge of a lookout point. In addition to natural areas, guideways are also found inside larger buildings. Often, builders are required by law in almost all countries to include a guide rail along stairs, ramps, balconies or walkways.
Building a guide rail is extremely important. Rails can be made of wire, steel, metal, wood, or concrete, with concrete being the strongest rail material available. In most cases, a guide rail cannot include more than a 4″ (10.2cm) gap. If an opening was larger than four inches, any object could fit through the opening. Therefore, all handrails must include closely spaced bars.
Most major highways throughout North America and other parts of the world also have guideways. These rails exist for the same reasons that industrial rails and handrails exist, only highway guide rails are stronger than ordinary guard rails. While road guideways can keep a car from skidding over a cliff or steep slope, there is some controversy regarding the effectiveness of a highway guideway.
Because a rail placed on a highway cannot fully absorb the impact of an automobile, cars and trucks are often deflected upon contact with a metal rail. This detour can cause a car or truck to stick out into traffic, which, in turn, can cause other cars and trucks to collide. This is exactly why most transportation engineers don’t place guide rails along every portion of the road.
Instead, these rails are mainly used when the conditions of the road, or the area around it, are more dangerous than the rail itself. As a result of the guide rail debate, many departments of transportation around the world are now opting for collapsible rails. These rails bend upon impact, which slows a vehicle down, eliminating the possibility of deflection.
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