When it comes to commercial and residential car park safety, using wheel stops is a must – but what exactly are they, and what functions do they provide?
When done well, the end goal for most traffic management strategies is traffic calming, which is the deliberate slowing of traffic in residential and commercial areas. While building speed humps is the most common tool, there are a wide variety of other materials that are often required.
Local councils and commercial property owners will often install devices such as speed platforms, roundabouts, traffic islands and curb build-outs to provide a safe environment for pedestrians and cyclists, discourage non-local traffic in neighbourhood streets, and moderate vehicle speeds.
While speed is often public enemy number one when it comes to overall road safety, there are a few unsung heroes when it comes to protecting our vehicles, their drivers, and pedestrians, with one of the most notable being wheel stops.
The Importance Of Wheel Stops For Road Safety
As the name would suggest, wheel stops are a traffic management and car park safety device that works as a boundary when parking a vehicle. When correctly positioned, they alert drivers and stop them from running over the designated parking area and damaging buildings and property.
As a common addition to almost every commercial environment that has vehicles present, car park wheel stops help to avoid collisions and unnecessary damage to vehicles. It’s not uncommon to strategically place wheel stops away from hazards like walls, fences, and curbs, as this helps to protect the owner’s property as well as the cars themselves. They also are used to prevent vehicles from encroaching over a walkway, embankment, drop off points or ditches.
Today, recycled rubber wheel stops are the most commonly deployed variety, as they are lighter than concrete bollards, yet heavier and more durable than other plastic models. In addition, they’re also a viable investment for commercial property owners as they can easily be moved, and aren’t susceptible to chipping, cracking or fading.
While they are ultimately designed to stop drivers parking in areas that they shouldn’t, wheel stops can also be supplied in designated colours to visually indicate loading zones, disabled parking, or parks that are reserved.
Any area with a high level of cars and pedestrians needs to take road safety seriously. Whether this is a shopping area or at storefronts, commercial parking lots are heavily frequented and often connect with pedestrian walkways and other kinds of traffic. It’s for this reason that wheel stops are essential in these areas, as drivers need to be able to park safely without fear of accidentally hitting a pedestrian.
In addition to commercial spaces, residential parking complexes such as those used for apartment blocks often require clear parking perimeters. Residents often only get one dedicated parking space for their car, so wheel stops are an important guide to ensure that everyone literally stays within their lane.
However, it’s important to note that there’s no ‘one size fits all’ solution when it comes to selecting the right type of parking barrier. While rubber wheel stops are often one of the most popular choices, shoppers need to do their research when it comes to selecting the right size and type of fixture that is going to best fit the needs of their parking site, particularly if the surface is uneven or gravel based.
While some commercial car parks may only require one or two physical barriers or additions to the ground as a means to boost awareness, some of the most common additions aside from wheel stops also include speed humps and rumble bars – but where do you find them?
Partnering With The Road Safety Professionals
At Speed Humps Australia, we’ve spent ten 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, Westfield, Shell and the Queensland Government, 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.
