Whether at work, home or in a more extensive commercial car park – the safety of your car and others is paramount. Your vehicle probably spends more time sitting around waiting for you to drive it than actually on the road. All this time spent sitting in your driveway, garage, or parking spot is time spent vulnerable to accidents, vandalism, or even being parked. Here are 10 ways to improve your car park safety:
1. Retractable Bollard
This bollard can be lowered or raised to allow or deny access to a particular area. The bollard will drop into a slot located in the ground when it isn’t needed and can then be raised using mechanical or manual methods. At its most basic, this type of bollard will be unlocked using a key and manoeuvred into place by an employee. The retractable bollard is ideal for areas where flexibility is required to allow or deny access at different times of the day.
2. Permanent in-ground bollards
This bollard is permanently fixed to the substrate of your parking surface. Its primary purpose is to create a barrier with other bollards to prevent drivers from driving or parking in unauthorised areas. The bollards are usually made from steel and may even be filled with concrete. To make them more visible, they are often painted in high-visibility colours (usually yellow) to provide a visual guide or deterrent.
3. Flexible Bollard
As the name suggests, these bollards bend flat when hit by a vehicle and then pop back up when the car has passed over them. More of a visual deterrent than anything else, flexible bollards or cones are best used as a temporary measure or for special events.
4. Rubber Wheel Stops
Stop your car from bumping the curb or the cars behind. Denting and damaging paintwork is never fun, especially when it’s easily avoidable. A rubber wheel stop is a simple solution to a common problem – saving hours of paperwork and awkward conversations with other car owners.
5. Rubber Speed Humps
Speed humps are a proven and widely used method for accident mitigation and traffic flow regulation. Strategic placement of rubber speed humps can reduce risks to your vehicle, slow down vehicle speeds and reduce traffic in your vicinity.
6. Access Gate
Installing an access gate is a comprehensive solution for the safety and access of your vehicle. An access gate not only stops unwanted cars from accessing your parking spaces or private roads but also ensures the security of your car from potential thieves or vandalism.
7. Safety Mirrors
Improving safety in your car park relies on all cars seeing potential hazards. Moving cars, pedestrians, and other vehicles must all be visible – even around a tight corner. Whether a private driveway or a public car park, safety mirrors ensure proper visibility for all drivers.
8. Height Restriction Bars
Ensuring the structural safety of your car park is critical. Access height restrictions can exist in many larger car parks and can be implemented in smaller car parks and private garages. Drivers unaware of their vehicle’s height can cause severe damage to the structure of buildings and other cars.
9. Bike Racks and Barrier Rails
Wherever car parking spaces are near the road, for example, in outdoor shopping centres, barrier rails can provide a safer and more secure vehicle environment and serve as crowd control, ramp support, and bike racks. Allowing for the safe storing and locking of bikes adds to the overall safety of the car park.
10. Anti-Slip Rubber Mats
If exposed to rain or frost in the early mornings, a car park’s tarmac can be dangerous for pedestrians and vehicles alike. The safety of car parks can easily be improved with the effective use of anti-slip rubber mats, which allow for the safe movement of people in and around parking facilities.
The Verdict
Ultimately it’s a mixture of traffic management strategies that will improve the overall safety of any car park. If you’re in the market for new parking or safety bollards, get in touch with us here at Image Extra. We supply and install a wide selection of high-quality safety and security equipment, including automatic parking bollards. Our product range is manufactured to exact standards and is fully compliant with Australian rules and regulations. Our team members are here and standing by to discuss your project in more detail, and they would be delighted to answer any remaining questions you may have.