Although the internet can sometimes deliver some pretty puzzling and contradictory results, are speed humps a good idea for improving long term road safety?
While speed humps have been used for road safety since the early seventies, recent years have seen new conversations surrounding these types of traffic calming devices – and not all of them good.
In an era where we rightly care more about our impact on the environment, the air pollution generated from some drivers excessively braking and accelerating plus the manufacturing impact of some products has seen calls for speed humps to be eradicated in favour of other methods.
More than anything, safer road design that allows drivers to see potential hazards is key. While we could have more pedestrian crossings, better lighting, and footpaths, speed humps are often unfairly targeted for their potential hazards instead of their wide range of benefits. Ultimately, are speed humps still a good idea to use for road safety in Australia? Let’s dive in.
Five Reasons Why Speed Humps Are Still Essential
Cars and pedestrians aren’t known for their ability to mix well, especially in areas such as playgrounds, schools, residential housing estates, commercial car parks and just about any multi use space. As a means to limit the interaction between the two, traffic safety measures such as speed humps are proactively installed as a tool to help mitigate any potential accidents.
In Australia, the size, materials and function of speed humps offers greater flexibility for road safety. In addition, a speed hump covers a longer section of road, sometimes as much as a full wheel rotation, making a speed hump a less aggressive obstacle for cars when compared to a speed bump. In fact, just a handful of the key reasons to install speed humps that are still relevant today include the following.
Lowers Car Speeds – One of the greatest benefits of installing speed humps is the increased safety for pedestrians. Many major road accidents occur due to vehicles exceeding the set speed limit, which in turn greatly increases the risk of a collision. Speed humps are a physical barrier that restricts the capacity of a driver to speed, and therefore improves road safety.
Effective Visual Aid – Humans generally respond quite well to visual cues, and the semiotics of speed humps mean that their eye catching yellow stripes instantly alert drivers to the fact that they need to proceed with caution. While signs are commonly installed prior to approaching a speed hump, their easily identifiable stripes can also be seen from quite far away as well.
Car Volume Control – While taking a detour through a residential street may be a quicker route to work, a driver is more likely to avoid the area if they know that the road has speed humps present. In turn, installing speed humps in suburban streets can help to deter excess traffic, and keep the streets safer for the residents who call the area home.
Easier To Maintain – As a general rule, speed humps should be replaced when they wear down to a point where the fixing bolts become exposed, creating a hazard for vehicles crossing the speed hump in question. Thankfully, the nature of their installation also means that they’re quite easy to repair or even replace if the situation calls for it.
Environmentally Friendly – While materials such as asphalt, plastic and steel were often used, recycled rubber speed humps are now regarded as the most durable manufacturing material, and also inflict the least amount of damage to cars. They can even be sound absorbing, making them perfect for residential estates, retirement villages and hospitals.
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. By encouraging your local council to install speed humps on your street, you can rest easy knowing that you’ve done your part.
Partner With The Experts On Road Safety
At Speed Humps Australia, we’ve spent 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 and numerous local governments and mining operations, our rumble bars, speed humps and wheel stops have been purposefully designed 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.
