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What is the Difference Between Speed Humps and Speed Bumps?

What is the Difference Between Speed Humps and Speed Bumps?

For many people, there is no difference between speed humps and speed bumps. The term is used interchangeably to describe some planned obstacle in the road. However, this is incorrect; both terms describe safety features that promote safety differently. Let’s take a closer look at these traffic calming measures to understand which type may suit your needs best.

Speed humps slow a vehicle to approximately 16-32 km/hr range. This solution is ideal to calm roads in higher traffic areas, such as roads in residential areas, near schools and school parking areas, around bus stops, and near pedestrian crossings and hospital areas. Speed hump installation techniques can vary depending on the dimensions of the hump and the material it is made from. The objective of the speed hump is to gradually lower traffic speed to reduce the chances and severity of injury to pedestrians. This has to be done without causing car damage, and the humps must be gentle enough to ensure that emergency vehicles are not impeded.

Speed bumps are designed to reduce the speed of cars to a range of approximately 2-10 km/hr. This solution is well suited for areas with light vehicle traffic mixed with a low volume of pedestrian activity, such as smaller parking lots, private roads, and parking garages. The speed bump tends to be higher than a speed hump to cause an abrupt reduction in vehicle speed.

Both speed bumps and humps are capable of causing damage to a car that is travelling too fast when it crosses over them. This can result in insurance claims and other legal problems for a private property manager. It is advisable to have signage to promote speed reduction and warn drivers that the road conditions have changed. It is also a good idea to ensure that the humps and bumps that are installed have high visibility. Many of these solutions are available with bright yellow stripes and have reflectors to improve visibility at night or in low-light conditions.

Australia-based property managers should contact us if they are interested in installing speed humps. At Image Extra, we supply, and we can install a wide selection of high-quality safety and security equipment. This includes an extensive range of speed humps and speed bumps made from tough new or recycled rubber and heavier-duty solutions made from steel. All of our products are manufactured to be compliant with Australian standards. We look forward to answering any further queries you may have and discussing your particular needs in greater detail.