Imagine you are driving along a scenic California highway. A momentary distraction or slight overcorrection inadvertently sends your car off the roadway. You fear that you might go over a cliff or into a ravine. Panic overtakes you until you see something that gives you hope: there is a guardrail installed along the roadway. You know that these guardrails are supposed to be there to protect people involved in accidents, working to spread out the force applied in a crash so that the vehicle is safely slowed without additional injuries. Little do you know, however, that the end cap (the "end terminal") of this particular guardrail is installed incorrectly. Not only will it be of little help to you, it is likely to impale your vehicle and cause serious injuries.
