Despite popular opinion, rumble bars and rumble strips are not the same thing. In fact, their subtle differences can make or break a road safety project.
In Australia, road safety is an extremely serious business – and it should be. Although getting behind the wheel of a car is something that many of us do multiple times per day, the likelihood of an accident is sadly on the rise.
While inventions like rumble bars and rumble strips are helping to make this rite of passage a safer experience for everyone on the road, many people don’t actually understand their functions or their key points of difference.
The Differences Between Rumble Bars And Rumble Strips
Given the very nature of the product names, it’s understandable that many people often get rumble bars and rumble strips mixed up. However, apart from their appearance, the location of where these products are used will often dictate which is the best fit.
In simple terms, rumble strips are more of a reminder than a physical deterrent. In fact, you’ve probably encountered plenty of rumble strips during your lifetime without even realising what they are. In a nutshell, rumble strips are rows of raised markers that can be placed in the roadway to create noise and vibration when the tyres of a vehicle make contact.
In turn, the vibration and noise is intended to alert drivers that there is some form of change in the roadway they need to be aware of, which is why they are often found on highways and merging lanes. Rumble strip installation is also an economical method used to reduce the number of road crashes and incidents, especially when compared to more expensive alternatives such as crash walls and guard rails.
Ultimately, these types of road strips are considered to be an efficient and safe way to adjust traffic flow to protect drivers and pedestrians in any specific area, but they do have their limits, and can’t physically stop a driver from crossing into an area that they shouldn’t be in.
While similar in nature, rumble bars are usually much thicker with a higher profile than traditional rumble strips. While the latter often visually looks like a stripe, rumble bars are much more brick-like and can come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. A rubber rumble bar can also be known as a pavement bar, and can often be used on the centreline of a road or on the shoulder to alert drivers that they have veered off-course.
Much like rumble strips, they have proved to be a very effective traffic calming and road safety measure. As the name implies, they work due to the noise that tyres make as they drive over them and the slight judder that the driver feels through the steering wheel and suspension.
However, one of the big points of difference to note is that rumble bars are rapidly gaining traction as a safety tool for a wider variety of settings when compared to rumble strips. As they are simple, cost-effective devices, rumble bars are seeing a spike in popularity for commercial tight spaces such as car parks and drive-thru restaurants.
Widely recognised as a vehicle-friendly driver-alert system, rubber rumble bars are suitable for use as lane dividers or delineators, merging lanes and crossing guides, but are also incredibly effective as “buffers” in tight settings to protect cars against gutter rash.
Unfortunately, the rising cost of land in Australia now means that building drive through restaurants is often synonymous with confinement and working with extremely tight spaces. As such, the addition of rumble bars can be a revolutionary way to transform a customer’s experience – but where do you find them?
Partnering With The Road Safety Professionals
At Speed Humps Australia, we’ve spent over twenty years focusing on one thing: to provide one style of product, and to do it exceptionally well. We have worked tirelessly to develop specifications that do not fade or deteriorate, are easy to install, and are made from high-quality, recycled rubber for minimal environmental impact.
With just a handful of our clients around the nation including KFC, Taco Bell, McDonalds, Coffee Club, Westfield, Shell, Queensland Government, and numerous local councils and mining operations our rumble bars, speed humps and wheel stops have been purposefully designed to meet Australian Standards and to truly go the distance.
As our design and production is all handled in house and supplied Australia wide, get in touch with us today to request a quote or discuss how we can help with providing a tailored solution to your unique project requirements.
