Ritherdon, a UK-based electrical enclosure manufacturer, has launched what it says is the first passively safe roadside cabinet.
The cabinet is designed to shear off if struck by a vehicle, reducing the risk of injury to drivers and passengers, and removing the need for vehicle restraint systems (VRS) in certain locations.
The Lancashire company says it has spent over a decade developing the design in collaboration with the University of Manchester’s School of Mechanical, Aeronautical, and Civil Engineering.
The cabinet has been crash tested to European standard EN 12767 and uses a spacer base and breakaway bolts so that the main body detaches on impact.
Design and applications
Managing Director Ben Ritherdon explains that the product is not intended to replace all roadside cabinets but to offer an alternative for locations such as rural roads, where space or cost constraints make VRS installation impractical.
He says, “The passively safe cabinet doesn’t need to be placed behind an expensive VRS and it doesn’t need to be set back from the road: drivers will be as protected as possible in the event of a collision.
“It is also quicker and cheaper to replace than a standard cabinet and VRS if an accident occurs.”
Ritherdon says the cabinets are manufactured from the same steel as its conventional models and are installed in the same way.
The company has already sold more than 500 units, with interest from organisations installing roadside monitoring equipment where space is limited.
Crash testing and demonstration
Two crash demonstrations were conducted at the Institute of Traffic Accident Investigators’ Crash Day 2025 in Derbyshire.
At one test, a remote-controlled vehicle travelling at 56mph struck a passively safe cabinet, which detached from its base as intended and caused only minor damage to the car.
A subsequent test using a standard roadside cabinet saw the car roll and overturn, underlining the potential benefits of the passively safe design.
Ritherdon says the cabinets can reduce installation footprints and allow roadside equipment to be located closer to the point of use without the need for bulky protective barriers.
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