Discover here what exactly a Speed Hump is

A speed hump is a beneficial traffic management device installed by local municipalities to enhance traffic safety and pedestrian safety on city streets and roadways.

It has a vertical raised surface that is spread across the road to slow down the speed of a motorist, cyclist, bicyclist, or motor-vehicle driver from 16 to 30 miles per hour (mph).

It is generally installed in areas with a high risk of collisions or crashes between pedestrians and vehicles. You may find it in a work zone, school zone, pedestrian zone, or a slow zone while walking or travelling on a roadway.

In this article, you will learn what is a speed hump if you are interested in buying them.

What’s the purpose of road humps?

Like other traffic control devices, including speed bumps, speed cushions, bollards, traffic cones, traffic barriers, and rumble strips, the primary goal of installing a road hump is to make people follow speed-limit rules and slow down their vehicles where necessary.

All the traffic calming and traffic control devices are installed near various places, including asphalt pavement, a traffic intersection, an unmarked crosswalk, a roundabout, a pedestrian crossing, a driveway, street parking, and a traffic lane to control traffic volume.

Parking lots need speed humps, road bumps, wheel stops, speed ramps, parking signs, and speed limit signs to make the area safe for drivers, vehicles, pedestrians, and property. They have vehicles parked close to each other.

Walkers are also present close to vehicles, increasing their chance of collision with vehicles. Installing road humps can guide drivers to go at a slow speed and maintain parking lot safety.

Speed humps reduce the speed of vehicles like buses, motorists, fire trucks, etc. Therefore, you can install them in different places like bicycle lanes or traffic lanes.

Learn more: What’s the purpose of road humps?

Top 5 FAQs about traffic speed humps

Read these frequently asked questions about speed humps and understand this tool better.

What is the difference between a speed hump and a speed bump?

Some people think speed bumps and speed humps are different names for the same traffic-calming tools. However, that is not the case.

A speed bump is more aggressive compared to a speed hump. It reduces speed up to 10 mph, while a speed hump reduces speed up to 30 mph. Its length is also more than the length of a speed hump.

Where can I install speed humps?

You can install speed humps wherever you want to control traffic flow and vehicular speed. A few examples of where you can install speed humps include school zones, crosswalks, unsafe traffic lanes, intersections, traffic circles, urban areas, roundabouts, and pedestrian crossings.

Which materials are used to make speed humps?

A speed hump, speed cushion, or speed table is manufactured from different materials, giving them different characteristics. Common materials that are used to make speed humps are recycled plastic, rubber, concrete, metal, and wood.

What should I consider when buying speed humps?

People should consider different factors when buying a speed hump.

Some of these factors are:

• You should check the construction material. Buy one that is durable and versatile.

• Consider the size of the speed hump. Buy the one that is according to your local speed hump installation regulations.

• You should check the reputation of the manufacturer. Choose a manufacturer who has a good name in the industry.

Are there any disadvantages of speed humps?

Speed humps offer many advantages, but they have some disadvantages. For instance, they decrease the emergency response time of emergency vehicles like an ambulance.

They hinder the movement of stormwater and snow, affecting traffic movement negatively. Motorists may drive over the sidewalk to avoid a speed hump, creating problems for pedestrians.

Learn more: Top 5 FAQs about traffic speed humps.

Do speed humps work?

There is no doubt that speed humps reduce vehicular speed and the rate of fatalities on roads and streets. They make a cost-effective traffic calming solution you can install in different areas according to your speed reduction needs.

Since speed humps have a raised section, they force the speeding vehicles to diminish their acceleration and follow speed limits imposed by the transportation department and the federal highway administration.

They have reflective tapes and more reflector elements that enhance their visibility at night when there are no street lights in the area. These reflective elements reduce the pedestrian tripping hazard and help drivers decrease their speed in advance.

You can install flashing street signs, warning signs, regulatory signs, and other traffic signs around a speed hump to warn the city traffic of their installation. This will improve the performance of speed humps more.

Learn more: Do speed humps work?

How does rubber road hump work?

Rubber is a compressible material due to which rubber speed humps are also slightly more compressible than plastic, concrete and asphalt speed humps. It means they don’t damage vehicles as much as other traffic calming measures do when vehicles hit them at high speed.

Vehicles also make low noise when they drive over rubber speed humps, which makes them a good choice for areas where traffic noise restriction is enforced.

Rubber is a lighter material compared to some other materials or speed humps. So, rubber speed humps are easy to install, manage, and maintain. You can install them for temporary as well as permanent traffic control needs.

Rubber is also tough and durable, making rubber speed humps one of the inexpensive traffic calming measures.

The need for traffic management

Traffic management tools and measures are used to restrict the flow and speed of traffic on one-way or two-way roads and streets. They inform bicyclists, cyclists, and motorists when to reduce vehicular speed to avoid accidents.

They also manage traffic flow and prevent traffic jams, making it easier for people to reach their destinations on time. Installing traffic management devices around a construction area allows workers to perform better and stay safe. Pedestrians and drivers will be more cautious and alert when going around a construction area.

Every year, many people lose their lives in road accidents. Traffic management is an efficient way of reducing road accidents and creating safe roads for people. Using a traffic control device and traffic control plan strategically can help save many lives every year.

Conclusion

Speed humps have deflective surfaces that reduce the chance of passenger-car collision. They stop drivers from exceeding the speed limit and drive only at a safe speed. They also help people follow traffic rules and avoid fines. Traffic data indicates that speed humps and other traffic management tools reduce the number of road accidents every year.

Installing road signs, yield signs, signposts, and stop signs around a speed hump will warn the driver about the speed control’s installation in advance. This way, they can go smoothly over a speed hump and avoid hitting it suddenly.

If you are a parking lot owner, you should make your parking area secure with the help of speed humps and other similar tools.

Suppose your neighbourhood does not have a proper traffic control plan. In that case, you can request the city council or local municipality to make your area safer by installing speed humps and other traffic calming devices.

To learn more, we advise you to refer to the following pages: