We have driving distractions everywhere these days, both inside outside of our cars. The roads can be a very busy place, and the dangers of driving whilst distracted are well documented. Aside from the safety concerns, road accidents also cost a lot for a business in terms of productivity and disruption. One of the best ways to improve driver attention is to increase driver awareness, particularly in areas where accidents are more likely to occur. A key method used by many public and private institutions are Flexible Plastic Bollards, let’s take a closer look at how they work.
Bollard Impacts
There are two main categories of bollards, impact resist or non impact resist:
As the names would suggest, impact resist bollards are both a physical barrier and a visual cue for the inattentive driver. They are very heavy duty posts fitted in series that can stop a moving vehicle, once. After the impact has occurred, these bollards will usually crack or bend, and they will have to be replaced. They are ideal for use in areas where pedestrians could be at risk from fast moving vehicular traffic.
These are usually called flexible bollards, and they don’t use physical strength to prevent accidents. They actually prevent accidents by increasing driver awareness, highlighting off limit areas and encouraging safe driving. If a driver hits a flexible bollard they will feel resistance rather than a hard surface they stop at. The bollard actually folds when under sufficient pressure, so the vehicle and the bollard are not damaged. They are a perfect solution in high traffic areas which have lower speed limits and a need for increased driver awareness.
Studies have shown that a major cause of concern is distracted drivers. Although harm reduction in the form of impact resistant bollards is necessary, avoiding the collision altogether is very effective. A high visibility flexible bollards is a direct method for increasing driver awareness and attention. These bollards are often used in concert with other strategies, such as road markings, signs and traffic calming methods, to increase their effectiveness. Typically, these bollards are situated at a height that is perfect for driver visibility, when installed on road boundaries they assist the driver in judging distances and space with better accuracy. These bollards can have reflective surfaces that make them an ideal choice for low light or nighttime conditions.
At Image Bollards, we supply and even install a wide selection of high quality safety and security equipment. We stock Plastic Bollards, traffic bollards, and plastic cones, that are manufactured to Australian standards and tolerances. Our sales team is looking forward to discussing your needs in greater detail and answering any remaining questions you may have.