CSP’s ABSORB 350® Crash Cushion - saves a life

One of CSP’s ABSORB 350® Crash Cushions was put to the test recently and passed with flying colours when the newly installed 100km cushion sustained a head on impact on SH20A just past the Kirkbride Road intersection heading north from Auckland Airport.

The ABSORB 350® Crash Cushion was installed in the third week of May to protect motorists from the end of a section of temporary concrete barrier. The concrete barrier had been installed to create a safe workzone for Fletcher Construction staff while working on the SH20A to Airport project.

“I received a call from the company who monitors the surveillance cameras on the Auckland Motorways network to say that a female motorist had hit her brakes and completely locked them up in the wet and crashed head on into the ABSORB 350® Crash Cushion,” said Steve Kelly, Traffic Superintendent for the MHX Kirkbride Alliance. “When I arrived the motorist was standing at the scene unhurt, which is amazing when you look at what’s left of the ABSORB 350® Crash Cushion. It was completely demolished on impact.”

“The speed zone transitions from 60 to 100kms in this area so we had supplied a 100km ABSORB 350® Crash Cushion on the end of the concrete barrier,” explains Mario Bennett, Hire Sales Engineer for CSP. “When I got the call about the incident which happened at about 9am I was able to get a new one supplied to the client by 11am. Meanwhile there had been an attenuator on site to provide protection from the end of the concrete barrier.”

“The ABSORB 350® Crash Cushion certainly did its job,” explains Steve. “I have worked with Mario from CSP for many years and he is always really great to deal with. He had the site of the accident safe and secure within a couple of hours.”

“Not that we want to see collisions like this, but it is very satisfying to see our product doing exactly what it was designed for,” adds Mario. “It saved this woman’s life.”