In some cases, such as when installed on divided roadways, downstream ends of roadside W-Beam barriers may not be subject to head-on impacts. For such cases, the end-terminal needs to provide the necessary longitudinal support to redirect vehicles that impact the barrier near the end of the system.
Steel Post Trailing Terminals are intended to provide anchorage for the W-Beam barrier. They are not crashworthy terminals when struck head-on, since they are not designed to break away.