Top 7 different speed bumps styles

A speed bump on roads is a raised surface primarily used to reduce the speed of moving vehicles. It helps diminish the accident rate and makes people stay safe on roads and streets.

They are manufactured in different styles. Each style has a distinguished purpose that suits a particular location or situation.

The typical kinds of speed bumps based on their styles are regular rubber speed ramps, square and circular speed bumps, portable speed bumps, electricity-generating speed bumps, rumble strips and speed bumps with cable channels.

Below is a list of speed bump types with a brief introduction based on their styles.

Rubber speed bumps made of vulcanized recycled rubber with black and yellow colours and embedded with cat-eye road studs

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What are square speed bumps?

Speed bump also comes in a square shape, making them look like speed cushions, but they are smaller. Like other traffic control devices such as speed humps and traffic cones, square speed bumps impose a speed limit on the oncoming city traffic.

Square speed bumps are more commonly used in garages and parking spaces, where you can install them in multiple lines and maintain a particular distance between 2 bumps.

They should be placed at an appropriate distance to help with speed control. Square speed bumps placed at a large distance may fail to reduce enough speed.

Cyclists, motorists, and other drivers going over speed bumps reduce speeds below 15 mph to reduce the impact of speed bumps on the vehicle. Going at a speed of more than 15 miles per hour can cause serious vehicular damage.

Square speed bump coloured in yellow with arrow signs

What are circular speed bumps?

The circular speed bumps are used as calming traffic measures around pavement markings, slow zone areas, traffic signals, and city streets where pedestrians and vehicles can have close contact. They are small in size and have a circular shape.

Circular speed bumps come in different sizes and colours (mostly painted black, yellow, and white). Some manufacturers also prepare customized speed bumps you can get at your desired size.

Since they force vehicles to reduce speed, it is important to place speed limit signs or traffic signs before them to inform the incoming traffic of their presence.

Emergency vehicles and buses may find a circular speed bump in the road troublesome due to the damage they may cause to vehicles. Still, they are very effective in decreasing accidents.

Small round speed bumps coloured in yellow, installed on roads to ensure traffic safety

Facts about portable speed bumps

Portable speed bumps can be used before a pedestrian crossing, sidewalk, or roadway for pedestrian and traffic safety. What makes them different from the other forms of bumps is that they can be removed or dismantled and installed in a new place quickly.

Most portable speed bumps can be rolled and placed in a carrying bag. You can unroll and place them in any desired area to slow down traffic. They are mostly used in emergency situations.

For example, if a part of the road is under construction, you can place a portable speed bump before the construction site to reduce traffic speed. Remove the speed bumps when the construction is done.

Place a stop sign or any other signage to inform the traffic of the speed limit and speed bump presence. Portable speed bumps are usually made up of recycled plastic and rubber.

They have a reflective tape or surface, which makes them prominent in the dark.

Yellow portable speed ramp used for temporary traffic management

Things you need to know about rumble strips

Rumble strips are indents or grooves in the pavement that alert an inattentive driver by producing noise and vibration. Traffic data indicates that they reduce collisions between vehicles greatly.

They are usually 5 to 7 inches wide and have a 0.5-inch depth. When a car moves over them, the driver gets alert and learns he is moving the wrong way.

Rumble strips can be found in the road centre lanes and on the road shoulders. The strips present in the centre alert the driver when their vehicle accidentally tries to move to the other lane. In contrast, the shoulder rumble strip alerts them when the vehicle goes off the road.

No matter where rumble strips are located, they reduce hazards when a car moves close to a curb or away from the driving lane. We also have an article dedicated to rumble stripes.

Black speed bumps on roads to reduce vehicle speed

Speed bumps with cable channels

Speed bumps with channels have a hollow channel where you can put a cable and protect it from vehicles moving on the road.

They are commonly used in places like factory driveways or parking lots where cables and vehicles are present. Cables can get crushed under heavy vehicles if they experience heavy road traffic daily.

Speed bumps with cable channels can reduce vehicle acceleration while offering cable protection. They are usually made up of steel, plastic, or rubber. Speed bumps in the road can have more than one cable channel to accommodate more cables.

You can install them anywhere you feel necessary, such as before pedestrian crossing, traffic signals, and work zones. Make sure you use speed signs or other parking signs to indicate their presence.

Rubber speed bumps designed with trannels to cover hoses

Regular rubber speed ramps

A regular rubber speed ramp is a raised band installed across the road to control traffic volume by reducing traffic speed for driver and pedestrian safety.

Rubber speed ramps can be installed in many places for traffic-control purposes, such as around school zones, work zones, crosswalks, roundabouts, pavements, intersection points, parking lots, and crossings.

Rubber speed bumps, speed humps, cushions, and speed tables are made of recycled material, making them environmentally friendly and reducing production costs.

The rubber acts as a shock absorber and makes less noise than speed bumps from other materials like asphalt, steel, and plastic.

They are easy to install and dismantle, meaning you can easily remove them from one place to install them in another in an emergency.

They are suitable for various roads, such as dirt, gravel, and highways. Rubber speed ramps mostly have yellow reflective stripes, making them highly visible, even in dark areas.

Black and white speed bump made from vulcanized rubber

Speed bump power generators

It is an innovative road bump used for dual purposes. You can use it for traffic management by reducing traffic speed and then producing electricity using kinetic energy produced by moving vehicles.

They are a great source of energy that is less hazardous for the environment and saves fuel costs. Speed bump power generators convert kinetic energy into electrical energy when a certain weight is applied.

They are more suitable to be used on roads where heavy vehicles move. This will allow more electricity production and reduce crashes between speeding vehicles.

Speed bump made of steel to reduce vehicle speed

Conclusion

Speed bumps, speed cushions, traffic barriers, signposts, road signs, pedestrian signals, signs, and signals are all significant road-traffic calming techniques.

They are used around sidewalks, roadways, pedestrian zones, school crossings, street parking, roundabouts, and other high-traffic areas where pedestrians are also present.

They discourage traffic flow speed and offer public safety. Vehicles moving over them slow down their speed to reduce the impact of bumps on the vehicle. This, in turn, keeps pedestrians safe from collisions with vehicles.

Speed bumps come in a variety of shapes and styles. All styles have their own advantages and uses. You should consider the purpose of installing speed bumps and their location before buying them from the market.