Plastic Speed Bumps and Parking Blocks: The Basics of Traffic Control

This article covers the basics of plastic speed bumps, plastic parking blocks and other plastic traffic control devices and how they are installed.

Plastic Speed Bumps

Traffic control devices such as plastic speed bumps are commonly used to prevent motorists from exceeding low speed limits. They are called speed bumps because they are exactly that, bumps for which motorists must slow down to avoid an unpleasant ride and potential damage to their vehicle. There are two common types of speed bumps: permanent and temporary. In general, permanent speed bumps come in pairs at intersections or locations where an undesirable speeding problem has occurred, typically parking lots and similar private grounds.

Plastic Speed Humps

Placed along streets in a residential area, speed humps are used to slow down drivers who are speeding through neighborhoods. Drivers have come to know these concrete traffic bumps as speed bumps or sleeping policemen. The intention is to help slow down drivers that are speeding through residential areas by creating a small bump in the street. As vehicles move over speed humps, their momentum causes them to bounce slightly up and down, which can cause an uncomfortable ride for passengers, encouraging drivers to slow down, but without the threat of vehicle damage should their speeds be excessive. Other benefits include reducing road maintenance costs due to less debris on streets, as well as minimizing fuel consumption by cars going slower because they’re not driving at full speed over small hills on city streets.

Portable Plastic Parking Blocks

Plastic parking blocks are used to slow traffic, but they’re a flexible tool that can be used in creative ways. They can be placed across driveways or at crosswalks to manage parking, for example. You can use them as temporary ramps for disabled cars or trucks, too. Some cities even use them to temporarily block off bus routes when repairs need to be made.