Skip to main content

Evonik helps rumble strips prevent wrong-way driving

Each year in Germany, up to 80 accidents are caused by drivers on the wrong side of the road, of which many are on- and off-ramps to a main highway. To prevent this, a pilot test has been devised to alert drivers to their wrong-way direction. Cold plastic, one-sided rumble strips are being installed on the road surface within a 100cm-wide by 2cm-deep recessed groove across the lane. The specially shaped cold plastic coating with an uneven, rough bulge gives drivers a strong tactile and acoustic signal, aler
December 11, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Each year in Germany, up to 80 accidents are caused by drivers on the wrong side of the road, of which many are on- and off-ramps to a main highway

To prevent this, a pilot test has been devised to alert drivers to their wrong-way direction. Cold plastic, one-sided rumble strips are being installed on the road surface within a 100cm-wide by 2cm-deep recessed groove across the lane.

The specially shaped cold plastic coating with an uneven, rough bulge gives drivers a strong tactile and acoustic signal, alerting them of the hazard situation. But drivers who are driving in the correct direction will notice only a slight bump in the road.

A prototype was tested on the former military airbase in Rothenburg, a town in Germany’s Upper Lusatia region and close to the Polish border.

A 32m-long test route consisting of five strips was set up. For the diagonal markings, a cold plastic material developed from Limboplast, made by 4009 Evonik Industdries, especially for applying to the grooves in the road surface.

Limboplast for rumble strips is based on 1659 Degaroute from 337 Swarco Limburger Lackfabrik, said Jochen Henkels, business director for road marking and flooring at Evonik.

The hard, abrasion-resistant material will also protect the road surface where the rumble strips are applied and the edges formed by the cutting process against premature wear and tear.

A second test track will soon be set up, he said. It takes three to four hours to install the system that will likely cost around €3,500 for each junction.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Increase in German car crashes cause for concern
    August 27, 2014
    The fatality rate on Germany’s road network increased in the first half of 2014, compared with the same period last year. The preliminary figures from Germany's Federal Statistics Office, Destatis, show an increase in road deaths of 9.5% to 1,576 for the first six months of 2014. The level of injuries also rose by 10.6% to around 185,600 while the number of crashes in which people were injured rose 11.4% to 144,600. Overall however, the number of crashes dropped by 1.2% to 1.15 million. The reason for the i
  • Rumble strips on Swedish motorways cutting deaths and serious injury
    June 19, 2013
    A report by the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI) claims that rumble strips on Swedish roads have reduced the number of accidents resulting in fatalities or serious injuries. Road edge rumble strips on motorways are said to have reduced accidents resulting in fatality or serious injury by 17% and for single accidents by 30%.
  • Germany builds its first major PPI autobahn project
    July 7, 2015
    Rebuilding of one of the oldest motorways in Germany is testing out the possibilities for public-private project road construction reports Adrian Greeman A freshly renovated section of the A8 Autobahn in southern Germany will be watched with some interest this summer as traffic begins driving along its rebuilt carriageway and additional third lanes. That is not because of any special road features, other than a distinctive reddish colour to its concrete surface, but because it is a first fullscale public
  • Testing highway materials for best performance
    February 23, 2012
    Big increases in traffic mean that today highways are under greater pressure than ever, and materials have to perform to increasingly higher standards. Modern highways, particularly in and around major cities, are tested like never before, and it is essential that surfaces are built to withstand increasing traffic.