Just something I'm curious about...

I assume we've all seen the impact attenuators they put in front of
concrete highway dividers and toll booths - the barrels of sand or
large rubber bumbers. They're supposed to slow a vehicle down so they
don't hit the solid obstruction at full speed.

Why do they mark them with orange cones after they get damaged?

Are they trying to tell drivers not to hit them because they won't
they provide the anticipated protection?

As far as I know, drivers don't typically have the option of choosing
where to have an accident. If we were able to avoid the impact
attenuators when they are marked with cones, don't you think we'd
avoid them at all times?

What's the point of marking them with "caution cones" when no one
would actually consider hitting them even if they weren't damaged?