In New Zealand, guardrail safety barriers are a common feature on roads for safety purposes.

They consist of steel and are designed to redirect moving vehicles upon impact along the beam, protecting them from hazards, opposing traffic and obstacles.

Compared to the flexible wire rope safety barrier system, the guardrail system has less lateral deflection. Upon impact, the rail and steel posts absorb the energy, reducing the impact on the vehicle and its occupants. The energy impact is higher than that of the flexible barrier system but lower than that of the rigid concrete barrier system.