Yes, the main objective of road barriers is to ensure that they protect vehicles from falling off the road in an emergency, especially off the cliff or onto the other side of the road. But they can also be used to channelize traffic as a temporary arrangement.
Road barriers are also used to deter people/vehicles from entering an off-limit zone. They can also be used as visual indicators, especially during the night.
There are several types of road barriers. While most of them are used for safety purposes, certain others also act as deterrents for trespassing or even evasive actions. Amongst available in the market are automatic boom barriers, plastic barricades, barrier gates, water-filled barriers, flap barriers, tyre killers, and plastic traffic barriers.
When installed properly and in the right place, they can greatly reduce the impact of collisions. They also act as an important factor in safeguarding head-on collisions of out-of-control cars.
Yes, there are different kinds of structural road barriers available. Wire-rope, a-frame, delineator, concrete, plastic pedestrian, and traffic cones.