Ready to rumble? New safety system

Tests by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in the UK show that the use of rumble strips could significantly reduce crashes.
August 22, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Tests by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in the UK show that the use of rumble strips could significantly reduce crashes. The rumble strips could be installed quickly and cheaply on single lane roads or on roads with a single lane in either direction. These would help reduce the risk of drivers running off the road (RoR), or of inadvertently crossing over into oncoming traffic. The rumble strips can be installed easily and at low cost using simple milling equipment, with this system already in use in many US states as well as elsewhere in the world.

At present, raised rumble strips are only used in the UK along dual carriageways. However TRL says its research offers a good opportunity for Highways England to bring single carriageway sections of the strategic road network up to the same safety standard as the dual carriageway sections.

In the UK, rumble strips are placed primarily on the edge of dual carriageways. However, many other countries also place rumble strips along the edge as well as the centre line of dual and single carriageways to mitigate head-on, side swipe and RoR incidents.

New innovative rumble strip patterns, such as the sinusoidal design which produces less external noise, are increasingly being utilised in the USA and Europe for their higher benefits compared with traditional types.

Road Markings, Barriers & Workzone Protection

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • When the rain comes
    July 18, 2012
    Statistics show that wet weather and the dark is not the best mix for driving, but road markings offer a safety solution While good road markings are essential any time of the day, it is perhaps at night when roads are wet that they can offer extra guidance. Statistics are said to reveal that an estimated 50% of all accidents happen during the night when it rains but such conditions occur only 10% of the time and when there are usually less vehicles on the road. Indeed, at the 1st Road Marking Symposium hel
    Read More
  • UK report suggests 30km Pennine tunnel with robotic maintenance
    December 2, 2015
    The UK could build one of Europe’s longest road tunnels as it considers route options for a new major link connecting the cities of Manchester and Sheffield in England. An interim report looking at how best to connect the cities suggested that the road could be between 40km-50km, depending on the route. It “will include a tunnelled section, which could range from between 20-30km, making it one of the longest road tunnels ever built”.
    Read More
  • The cost of crashes in the US
    May 25, 2023
    The financial cost of road crashes in the US places a heavy burden
    Read More
  • Polymer enhanced bitumen technology improves performance
    July 11, 2012
    As overall traffic volumes increase, the contribution from commercial vehicles with increased axle loads is growing, putting ever more strain on roads and highway maintenance budgets. Highway authorities are looking for products that will be able to cope better and are more cost effective over the life of a road. Technical innovation is the only way to answer this challenge effectively, says BP Bitumen, one of a number of specialist companies involved in bitumen technology.
    Read More

Highlighted Content