When To Use Speed Bumps & Speed Humps

By Scott Lai

speed bumps vs speed humpsBoth speed bumps and speed humps are used to reduce vehicle speeds in parking lots and garages. However, each is designed for a specific purpose. If your goal is to slow vehicles to a halt, you want a speed bump. On the other hand, if you simply want to slow vehciels but allow continuous traffic flow, you'd want to install a speed hump.

 

Speed Bumps

Speed bumps are designed to reduce vehicle speeds to about 2-5 miles per hour. The goal is to slow vehicles down to a minimum or even to a halt. It’s an aggressive approach to reduce speeding. If your parking lot or facility has issues with motorists ignoring STOP signs, placing a speed bump before the STOP sign can be a very effective solution to enforce a motorist to stop. Speed bumps are normally installed eight feet before a STOP bar.

 

Speed Humps

Speed humps, on the other hand, are designed to reduce vehicle speeds to about 10-15 miles per hour. If you want to slow vehicles down but still allow for continuous traffic, speed humps provide a "softer" approach to reducing vehicle speed than speed bumps. 

 

Bonus Alternative

Pavement Markers Stop Bar

An "outside-the-box" alternative to reducing speed that I've come across is pavement markers. Normally, pavement markers are used to delinate traffic on roads. However, one customer had a unique idea to replace a speed bump with rows of pavement markers to create a type of "rumble strip" before exiting their parking garage. 

 

 

Scott LaiScott is an Outside Sales Representative of G P Roadway Solutions. As a former property manager, Scott now helps other property managers improve the safety of their properties and facilities. Connect with Scott on LinkedIn.

Blog Categories: Parking Lot Safety