Top 5 frequently asked questions for wheel stops!

Parking facilities where vehicle traffic passes daily require wheel stops to ensure cars stop at the right place without hitting nearby vehicles when parking. Wheel stops maintain a proper distance between vehicles. It helps in reducing accidental collisions between vehicles.

Wheel stops, also called parking blocks, increase over time because of their usefulness and effectiveness. They are now found everywhere and benefit drivers, pedestrians, and parking lot owners.

Keep reading the article if you want to learn answers to what is a wheel stop and other frequently asked questions about this tool.

What exactly is a wheel stop?

Wheel stops are one of the popular traffic-management and traffic-control devices that are basically used to help drivers park vehicles in order.

They are usually installed in public parking lots, private parking areas, self-parking sites, on-street parking locations, hourly parking spaces, centre parking sites, and other vehicle parking facilities.

They act as a barrier and inform the driver that they cannot move their vehicle forward while parking it. Cars are not allowed to drive over them and move beyond them. They also prevent vehicles from entering a sidewalk or a crosswalk. This way, they maintain pedestrian safety.

There are several traffic-control, and traffic-calming tools, including speed bumps, speed humps, and traffic cones, that you can use along with the wheel stops to create a safer short-term parking spot, off-street parking area, daily parking structure, event parking place, motorcycle parking or car parking space.

Wheel stops and other tools ensure people feel safe in a parking lot, driveway, or roadway, whether driving or walking on foot.

What are the basic features of wheel stops?

Wheel stops have many features that can help you keep your green parking, guest parking, angle parking, metered parking, paid parking, handicap parking, and general parking structures well-organised and maintained.

Read these features better to understand the value of this traffic management tool.

• Wheel stops have a reflective marking that shines when vehicle light falls on them. These markings make them highly visible to drivers and pedestrians. They enhance wheel blocks’ visibility even at night when vehicles park in a poorly lit public parking space or reserved parking area.

• Most wheel stops resist heat and other environmental factors that make them suitable for indoor and outdoor places. They are sturdy and can stay functional for a long period of time.

• They can bear heavy volume and do not get damaged when a vehicle accidentally drives over them in a street garage, handicapped parking, or overnight parking space. Due to the specific shape of wheel stoppers, they do not damage vehicles’ tires when they hit them by chance.

• You can install rubber, plastic and metal wheel stops and remove them whenever possible. It means you can use them for both temporary and permanent purposes.

• The installation process of parking blocks is quite easy. Suppose you have basic knowledge and experience in using drills and screws. In that case, you can install them in a parking garage, street parking area, visitor parking site, disabled parking lot, and other parking services.

Where can you install wheel stops?

Wheel stops can be installed everywhere. Here are examples of a few suitable places for wheel stops.

• Residential areas

Using wheel stops in residential parking garages helps people protect their properties and vehicles. Loan stops for residential areas should be sturdy to withstand changing weather conditions when parking outside.

• Multi-story parking buildings

These buildings have heavy vehicle traffic. Using wheel stops in such buildings helps mark car parking spaces and maintain traffic flow properly.

• Industrial sites

Industrial areas also experience heavy traffic. Their parking sites have a variety of vehicles, including trucks, buses, cars, motorcycles, etc. You should use heavy-duty wheel stops here so that they can bear heavy pressure and weight without getting damaged.

• Commercial areas

Commercial properties, including grocery stores, hotels, hospitals, malls, etc., have large car-park areas to help people park their vehicles safely. Such places have wheel stops to maintain order in the large and provide safe walking lanes to pedestrians in different parking options.

What is the purpose of installing wheel stops?

Wheel stops are installed in a monthly parking site, free parking space, accessible parking area, garage parking lot, and campus parking mainly to prevent drivers from moving too far when oversized parking vehicles and other forms of vehicles.

They reduce the number of collisions and crashes with surrounding cars and infrastructure. They keep cars and pedestrians safe while reducing the risk of vehicular damage.

Wheel stoppers can keep busy parking lots where cars are parked a short distance from each other well-organised. They make sure vehicles stay in their space and lane. They tell the driver when to stop while moving their vehicle backwards or forward in a parking space.

Wheel stops are also used to protect electric vehicle charging stations. When used with informative signs, electric vehicle drivers can see the wheel stops beforehand and park their vehicles at the right position in a vehicle charging station.

What tips should one remember when installing wheel stops?

There are multiple advantages of installing wheel stops. However, you can enjoy these benefits only if you use the correct wheel stop at the right place.

Here are the expert tips you should remember when installing wheel stops.

• Wheel stops are manufactured using rubber, plastic, steel, metal, and concrete. You should choose the material according to your needs. Choose plastic and rubber materials if you need wheel stops that can be replaced.

• When installing wheel stops, check building codes and local requirements for wheel stop installation.

• Parking blocks are created in different sizes. Different vehicles have different wheel stop size requirements. Vehicles with big wheels need longer and wider wheel stops, while vehicles with shorter wheels, like cycles, etc., should have small-sized wheel stops in their respective parking spaces.

• Maintain a proper distance between a driveway curb and a wheel stopper so the vehicle can stop at the right place without hitting the curb.

• Driving over wheel stops can damage your vehicle. That is why you should not drive over this tool. It is not meant to be used for this purpose. Wheel stops should be installed in a well-lit area so that people walking on foot can see them when walking beside them. If installed in a darker area, they may cause pedestrians to trip.

Conclusion

Wheel stops are advantageous in many ways. Like other traffic management tools, they ensure pedestrians and drivers have a safe time on roads, driveways, and parking spaces.

When parking a vehicle, drivers may accidentally hit a car, wall, or any other object if they think they are still at a good distance from these things.

But when you place wheel stops in a parking space, you create a boundary around a parking site that guides the driver about when to stop.

Wheel stops are installed in a variety of places for the same purpose. They are manufactured in different materials and sizes. You should consider the size and material that best suits your traffic control needs.