What is a breakaway pole?

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), about 20 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths result from vehicles leaving the roadway and striking a stationary object. To reduce the number of fatalities, injuries, and significant vehicle damage in fixed-object crashes, breakaway posts are installed on ground-mounted sign supports of utility poles, light standards, street supports, and wayfinding signposts.

A breakaway pole is a specially designed post with breakaway points close to the ground level that will break or yield upon impact. When the upper post is hit, the plates slip, and bolts sever or pop out, causing the standard to break on impact and fly over the vehicle that strikes it. This breaking-post action minimizes the likelihood and the severity of injuries to the vehicle’s occupants and significantly reduces vehicular damage.

After a crash, the breakaway system allows for easier infrastructure repair. In many cases, a new upper post can be bolted into the undamaged lower base post.

Brandon Industries offers breakaway kits approved by The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and can provide a letter of approval and testing information for use in the approval process or individual DOT standards.