ANNEL 2
DOCUMENTARY, THE LOST EVIDENCE.
>>> DANGEROUS CRASHES LIKE THESE
HAPPEN EVERY DAY IN THIS COUNTRY
WITHOUT WARNING, LEAVING PEOPLE
VULNERABLE TO SERIOUS INJURY AND
DEATH.
JUST LAST WEEK WE COVERED THE
CASE OF A CAR THAT CRASHED INTO
A FIRE STATION, BUT THE BIGGEST
RISK IS FOR SHOPPERS AND
BUSINESS OWNERS GOING ABOUT
THEIR DAY WHEN A DRIVER SLAMS
INTO A STOREFRONT.
BILL SPENCER WENT TO TEXAS A&M
UNIVERSITY WHERE RESEARCHERS ARE
TRYING TO STOP CRASHES LIKE
THIS.
NEW TECHNOLOGY YOU COUL SOON
SEE ACROSS TH CITY.
>> Reporter: THEY ARE HORRIFYING
CRASH SCENES.
NOT OUT ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT
INSIDE THE STORES AN
RESTAURANTS STU I VISIT.
A -- YOU AND I VISIT.
IT'S HAPPENING 60 TIMES A DAY,
KILLING 500 PEOPLE YEAR.
INJURING MORE THAN FOUR,000.
PEOPLE -- 4,000.
A HUSBAND AND FATHER SERIOUSLY
INJURED AS HE WAS EATING DINNER
WITH HIS FAMILY WHEN SUDDENLY A
CAR CAME CRASHING THROUGH THE
WINDOW WHERE HE WAS SITTING.
>> Translator: I SCARED WHEN I
SAW IT COMING.
IT HIT US.
>> Reporter: HE WAS PINNED AND
ONE OF HIS LEGS COMPLETELY
CRUSHED.
>> HIS LEG WAS CRUSHED TO SUCH A
DEGREE THE DOCTOR SAID WE SIMPLY
CAN'T SAVE IT.
WE HAVE TO AMPUTATE.
>> Reporter: NOW ENGINEERS AT
THE TEXAS A&M TRANSPORTATION
INSTITUTE ARE DEVELOPING AND
TESTING NEWER, STRONGER,
STOREFRONT BARRIERS TO KEEP
ACCIDENTS LIKE THIS ONE FROM
EVER HAPPENING TO YOU.
THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF THE OLD
FASHIONED STANDARD DESIGN
BARRIERS CALLED BOLLARDS THAT
SIT IN FRONT OF THOUSANDS OF
STORES AND RESTAURANTS
NATIONWIDE.
>> AND IT'S BASICALLY JUST A
STEEL PIPE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE USE COMMON PIPE.
THEY PUT IT IN THE GROUND.
THEY FILL IT WITH CONCRETE.
>> Reporter: FOR YEARS NEVER OF
THEM WERE TESTED AND WHEN
ENGINEERS DID TEST THEM, BY
RUNNING TEST CARS INTO THEM AT
10 MILES AN HOUR, THEY WENT DOWN
LIKE BOWLING PINS.
THIS BARRIER, IS THIS ACTUALLY
GOING TO STOP ANYBODY FROM
DRIVING INTO A STORE?
>> VERY --
>> Reporter: STOP A CAR?
>> VERY LILTED CASES.
-- LIMITED CASES.
IF I OWNED THE STORE, I WOULDN'T
HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF IT.
>> Reporter: NOW TEXAS A&M SET
UP TO SHOW YOU A BRAND-NEW KIND
OF PROTECTIVE BOL BOLLARD, ONE
HE SPENT YEARS DESIGNING.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS THAN
THE OTHER CONCRETE FILLED
BARRIER?
>> PRIMARILY SIZE AND THICKNESS
OF THE WALL.
>> Reporter: WATCH NOW AS
SCIENTISTS PREP TO CRASH THIS
5,000,000 UNMANNED -- 5,000
POUND UNMANNED VEHICLE.
THE CAR IS TRAVELING 10 MILES AN
HOUR.
AND JUST LOOK AT THAT.
THE BARRIER WORKS.
THE TEST CAR IS STOPPED, DEAD IN
ITS TRACKS.
OKAY.
TIME TO UP THE STAKES.
ENGINEERS WILL TRY IT AGAIN,
THIS TIME RUNNING THAT TEST CAR
DOWN THE TRACK AT 30 MILES AN
HOUR.
YEP, THAT WORKS, TOO.
EVEN AT 30 MILES AN HOUR, THE
POLL FLEXES AND BENDS BACK ABOUT
12 INCHES, BUT THAT'S IT.
THE BOLLARD STANDS ITS GROUND.
>> WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON
BUILDING AN ENVIRONMENT, A SAFE
ENVIRONMENT, SO PEOPLE ARE IN
FACT PROTECTED FROM AN ERRANT
DRIVER, DISTRACTED DRIVER.
>> Reporter: NOW, AS IT STANDS
RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE NO LAWS
REQUIRING THESE PROTECTIVE
BOLLARDS BE INSTALLED IN FRONT
OF STOREFRONTS OR STRAWNTSDZ.
THAT'S SOMETHING -- RESTAURANTS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THE SAFETY
COUNCIL IS FIGHTING TO MAKE A
REALITY.
>> EXPLAIN THIS TO US.
WHY SORE SO MANY YEARS HAVE
THERE BEEN THESE BARRIERS THAT
ARE WORTHLESS AND CAN'T EVEN
STOP A CAR.
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
ENGINEERS AND EXPERTS TOLD ME
IT -- CONTRACTORS WOULD PUT OUT
THESE BIG CEMENT BALLS OR METAL
PIPES WITH CONCRETE, SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.
AND THEY LOOK BIG.
THEY LOOKED STRONG AND THEY JUST
KIND OF SAID, HEY, WE'RE GOING
TO GOOD.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WOULD
WORK OR NOT A APPARENTLY --
THEY DON'T.
>> NOT.
>> IT'S AMAZING HOW MANY KINDS