Why Are Those Crash Barrels Broken Along Area Expressways?

CHICAGO (CBS) – They are designed to help protect motorists in an accident, those yellow, sand-filled crash cushions along the expressways.

But there are dozens of them around Chicago that are cracked, and they have been in that condition for weeks.

CBS 2's Vince Gerasole looks into why failing to replace them can be a danger to drivers.

One example sits at the Kennedy's outbound Addison exit-- broken plastic barrels with mounds of sand spilled onto the roadway.

They are supposed to help motorists avoid a serious crash.

The same can be said for the busted barrels and their sandy contents along the inbound Dan Ryan by the Marquette overpass.

The barrels are "designed to save lives," says Jack Kulp, of Trafix Devices.

In less than 15 minutes earlier this week, Chopper 2 found over a half-dozen locations with damaged or overturned barrels surrounded by sand.

The devices are called impact attenuators, or, more simply, crash cushions.

The color is meant to keep vehicles from hitting hazards, like the concrete walls of an exit ramp. The sand inside is meant to absorb a vehicle's forward momentum and slow them down in case of a crash.

Kulp's company makes a version of the barrel called the Big Sandy.

He says tests find that without the barriers a 37 mile per hour crash could result in death.

"They need to be replaced and if they aren't replaced there can be serious consequences resulting in injury or death," Kulp said.

The vehicle "[soaks up] the kinetic energy that would otherwise kill people," said Kulp.

In a statement, IDOT said it would replace the damaged barrels in the next few weeks, and they encourage people to report any broken ones they see.