To　improve　the　guardrail　safety　on　rural　highways　of　China,　a　new　hybrid　guardrail　comprised　concrete　and　box　girder　was　proposed,　and　the　crashworthiness　of　the　hybrid　barrier　was　analyzed　using　finite　element　method.　Firstly,　the　finite　element　models　of　bus　and　barrier　were　developed　and　validated　by　using　collision　test　results.　In　addition,　the　explicit　dynamic　finite　element　software　LS-DYNA　was　used　to　simulate　the　collision　between　vehicle　and　the　guardrail　considering　materials　as　well　as　the　nonlinear　performance　of　the　boundary　conditions.　The　computational　results　show　that　the　hybrid　barrier　could　effectively　block　and　redirect　the　bus　in　the　collision.　Meanwhile,　the　maximum　lateral　deformation　of　the　guardrail　is　well　below　the　safety　limit.　The　method　could　be　applied　to　design　and　evaluate　new　road　safety　protection　facilities　on　rural　highways.　©　Copyright.