Speed hump survey raises steep issues
Speed humps, if constructed to the correct dimensions and spaced correctly, are effective in reducing speeding
THE topic of speed humps has been a contentious issue over the years.
We’ve all been there, enjoying a leisurely drive, blissfully unaware of the sudden braking and roof head-hitting manoeuvres to follow when confronted by yet another unsuspected speed bump constructed along our roads.
A report by the Department of Transport regarding the design and implementation of speed bumps noted that they have become a popular tool for the traffic engineering and management fraternity to manage speeding.
If constructed to specification and spaced correctly, speed humps have proved to be effective in reducing speeds.
While the report indicates specifications (3.7m in length and between 80 and 120mm in height), it noted that these specifications may differ according to the area.
There are two recognised speed humps in the country – the round top (or semi-circular) and the flat top (or trapezoidal).
– PHOTO: DTT
The costs of construction are generally higher for flat top humps owing to the greater amount of construction material required.
Semi-circular humps are therefore more popular.
The height of a speed hump is therefore determined by the maximum desired speed at which a normal passenger car should comfortably negotiate it.
Graham Thompson of SA SpeedBumps confirms this.
‘Specifications range from municipality to municipality. The entire country applies his differently.
‘There are no formal standards or specification. It all depends on the severity of the situation in terms of speed,’ said Thompson.
He said people need to remember that speed humps are never constructed for no reason.
‘People who most often complain are the people that generally speed, trying to find flaws in the process so they can get the humps removed placed there to reduce speed and save lives.
PHOTO: DTT
Experiment
The ZO carried out an experiment in which speed humps in Empangeni were navigated using a passenger car.
In most situations the humps were easily navigated at around 30km, however there were some that required the vehicle to slow down to 20km for safe passage.
The report did however indicate that a typical sized speed bump, designed for normal passenger cars, will impact severely on heavy vehicles such as buses, service vehicles and trucks.
They also have major implications for emergency vehicles, affecting mobility and riding comfort, indicating that they should therefore not be placed on routes frequently used by these types of vehicles.
Life Support Paramedic with IPSS Medical Rescue, Richard Schouten, disagrees however, saying the implications of speed humps on emergency vehicles is minimal.
‘Speed humps don’t actually pose a problem in our job. While we do drive faster than the speed limits, we still have to stay within safe limits.
‘While the speed breakers can be an irritation, they don’t add minutes to our journey and don’t really affect patient outcomes.’
Schouten argued that while speed humps are a safety measure for the public, they have increasingly become a hazard for drunken drivers in the Zululand area.
‘Taking into account the type of drivers we have in the region, speed humps have become a bit of a hazard. If somebody who is moderately drunk and speeding hits a hump, it sends the vehicle out of control which then often causes an accident.
‘We have seen an increase in accidents in areas where there are speed humps and it is more prominent here in Zululand.’
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