Patent ID: 8500103

Claim:
A guardrail safety system, comprising: a guardrail beam operable to contain and redirect an errant vehicle to prevent the vehicle from leaving a roadway, the guardrail beam comprising a thrie beam; a support post coupled to the guardrail beam, the support post comprising: a lower portion for installing below grade adjacent the roadway; a mid portion that lies substantially adjacent the grade, the mid portion including a weakened section operable to weaken the support post about a first axis without substantially weakening the support member about a second axis that is generally perpendicular to the first axis; and an upper portion releasably coupled to the guardrail beam such that the upper portion is uncoupled from the guardrail beam when the mid portion yields about the first axis; and a connector for coupling the support post to the guardrail beam, the connector comprising: a threaded shaft; a head portion coupled to the threaded shaft; and a shoulder portion proximate the threaded shaft and configured to prevent the connector from rotating relative to the guardrail beam.