NORTH CAROLINA -- North Carolina is among eleven states that have banned a type of guardrail blamed for several deaths. 

According to three lawsuits filed against the manufacturer, the Lindsay X-lite end terminal guardrail can pierce a vehicle instead of deflecting it, causing deadly consequences.

The X-lite end terminal is one of several guardrails that no longer meet the newest national safety guideline, called MASH (manual assessing safety of hardware).

Kevin Lacy, and NCDOT traffic engineer, said, "What we strive for is no one dying on our roadways, no one getting hurt on our roadways, and eventually, no one wrecking on our roadways."

The manufacturer of the guardrail, Lindsay Transportation Soluntions, responded with a statement saying, 

“Our top priority is to provide solutions that reduce the number and severity of injuries sustained in automobile accidents. X-LITE has successfully passed crash and safety tests in accordance with Federal standards and criteria, and remains eligible for Federal transportation funding. There is no road safety equipment that can prevent injury every time a driver fails to stay on the road, but X-Lite has reduced the number and severity of injuries sustained in automobile accidents. A variety of factors contribute to the potential for injury when a driver fails to stay on the road, including speed, the angle at which a vehicle makes impact, and whether road safety equipment is installed and maintained properly."

Virginia and Tennessee have also banned the guardrail.