It is hard to imagine motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among people under 55 years old in the United States. There are many companies dedicated to improving safety on our roadways to reduce injuries and fatalities due to vehicular accidents. TrafFix Devices designs, manufactures, and supports products that save lives on the world's highways including the Sentry Longitudinal Energy Dissipater (SLED™), a narrow, water-filled non-redirective gating crash cushion.

SLED™ is designed to shield the end of all permanent and temporary portable barrier shapes including concrete, steel and plastic. SLED's unique design incorporates four internal steel cables which help envelop the impacting vehicle, reducing the possibility of secondary accidents. The SLED End Treatment does not require foundation anchor bolts to be attached to the road or bridge deck. The complete crash cushion can be installed quickly, with as little as one pick up truck and two workers on compacted dirt, gravel, decomposed granite, asphalt or concrete. Each SLED module is manufactured from a high visibility yellow polyethylene that is UV stabilized to minimize degradation. It is designed to deform and rupture on impact, absorbing the energy of the errant vehicle. SLED has the most versatile transition for shielding all permanent and temporary portable barriers. The combination of hinging and contouring, allows the transition panels of the SLED End Treatment to be attached to narrow, wide or other profile shapes. 

Since these units will be exposed to various environments and conditions across the United States, a reliable method of corrosion protection was necessary for the steel components. Minimal maintenance was important because touch-up and repair would be difficult and a waste of precious time and resources for the highway agencies to keep up with. By selecting hot-dip galvanizing, the issues of corrosion protection and minimal maintenance were addressed but the benefits did not end there. Since hot-dip galvanizing is extremely abrasion resistant, it would hold up well in high traffic areas. The reasonable initial cost and attractive life-cycle cost also influenced the final decision. Ultimately, TrafFix Devices could rest assured the SLED™ units would stand the test of time due to hot-dip galvanizing, making our roadways safer for decades to come.