Full barriers needed on motorway/HQDC verges?

Zoney

Another spring is nearly past, and another years growth to the trees and planting along our roads is obvious (and in my opinion looks very well on the likes of the N20).

However, with the increasing size of the trees, some right next the roadside, here comes the question. Are crash barriers needed along the full length of our motorway and HQDC verges as a matter of urgency? People have brought up the subject of unprotected signage in places (I think much of it on the N20 for example is in fact behind metal barriers) but even signs with good foundations are surely not even as much a hazard as maturing trees?

Has anyone contacted the NRA about this?

Incidentally, those wire barriers retrofitted along the medians are a joke - they are frequently damaged and sit for weeks, even months in a detensioned state (i.e. as good protection as no barrier). Metal barriers are surely preferable (such as on the N7 Limerick Southern Ring Road which has a narrower but still grass and hedge median).

The elephant in the room is the lack of funding - nevertheless, if this is a serious danger, some money will have to be found rather than simply allowing people to die from going off the edge of hard shoulders on our motorways (not an impossible situation even if the driver is capable - circumstances can be outside someone's control).

Victor

On newer roads, saplings have tended to only be planted where there are cutting or embankments. On new roads, saplings aren't a particular problem, but as they mature, they have the potential to seriously, even profoundly, damage a vehicle and kill its occupants.

The style of planting typical of [url=
http://images.google.ie/images?q=french country road&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_enIE285&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi]French country roads[/url] is a particular problem, as it permits a vehicle to hit head on. The more common ditch / hedge arrangement in Ireland is somewhat safer, as a glancing blow is more likely

Not, in the picture accompanying this piece, if you can look past the young lady, you will see that the lamp post has a protective, sacrificial guard in front of it. The effort expended in destroying it means the vehicle has slowed down by the time it hits the lamp post. It also protects the lamp post from casual damage by less careful drivers.

http://www.globalmotors.net/can-you-pass-a-driving-theory-test/