What is the main role of guardrail?

Guardrails serve a multitude of critical functions across various settings, primarily encompassing the following aspects:

### Safety Protection
1. **Prevention of Falls**: In construction environments, such as balconies of high-rise buildings, stairways, roof edges, and bridge sidewalks, guardrails effectively prevent accidental falls, ensuring the safety of individuals in these areas. For instance, guardrails on residential balconies safeguard children and the elderly from falling from heights.
2. **Mitigation of Vehicle Accidents**: On roads, particularly highways and mountainous routes, guardrails prevent vehicles from veering off course during loss of control, reducing the risk of collisions with pedestrians or other objects and minimizing casualties and property damage from traffic accidents.
3. **Protection of Hazardous Areas**: In locations with inherent dangers, such as construction sites, power facilities, and chemical production workshops, guardrails isolate hazardous zones from public areas, preventing unauthorized access and mitigating the risk of accidental injuries.

### Area Division
1. **Establishment of Clear Spatial Boundaries**: In urban planning and architectural design, guardrails delineate functional areas, clearly defining boundaries between different zones. For example, in parks, guardrails demarcate leisure, viewing, and maintenance areas; in factories, they separate production, storage, and office spaces, enhancing management and operational efficiency.
2. **Guidance of Traffic Flow**: At road intersections and parking lots, strategically placed guardrails direct vehicles and pedestrians along designated routes, maintaining traffic order, reducing congestion, and improving overall traffic efficiency.

### Alert and Warning
1. **Warning of Potential Hazards**: Some guardrails incorporate eye-catching colors (such as red or yellow) or warning signs (like reflective strips), drawing attention to potential dangers. For example, temporary guardrails at construction sites alert passersby and drivers to ongoing work, encouraging caution.
2. **Regulation of Behavior**: In public spaces like shopping malls, stations, and airports, guardrails guide orderly movement, regulating behavior and preventing congestion and stampede incidents caused by disorganized crowds.

### Landscaping and Aesthetics
1. **Enhancement of Landscape Appeal**: In garden design and landscaping, guardrails are often chosen for their integration with the surrounding environment, serving both decorative and beautification purposes. Well-designed wooden or wrought iron guardrails can enhance the artistic and cultural ambiance of parks and villa courtyards, increasing the overall aesthetic value.
2. **Shaping Architectural Style**: Guardrails of varying materials and designs contribute to the stylistic identity of buildings and spaces. For example, modern stainless steel guardrails suit contemporary structures, reflecting simplicity and elegance, while cast iron guardrails add a classic charm to historical or vintage buildings.