There are (at least) two types of guard rails.
The first kind is the kind you see. The big, curvy, silver galvanized metal barriers that are put up on the sides of highways. They are used leading up to and out of an overpass, or along curves that might be more dangerous than usual. They are hopefully never used. They are important, but only needed if a driver has lost control.
The other kind is the kind you don’t see. They are laid just inside railroad tracks at key points. They are used at turns, merges and other places where the rail wheels might lose contact with the track. They provide a boundary, a way to secure the train as it turns. They are used often and helpfully so. They are important because they prevent the loss of control.
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