Bollards are among the most versatile safety products, as they can be used in numerous ways to create safer commercial and industrial premises. They also do well in urban areas where vehicle and pedestrian traffic is high, including narrow city streets. If you are a city planner or part of a community improvement team, review what makes bollards so important for narrow street safety.
Narrow Streets Mean Tight Turns
Not every car and truck driver who has to turn onto a narrow street is adept at doing so. They might be new drivers or are simply not used to making tight turns because they have always driven on highways and wide city streets. Parked cars along one side of these streets make them even narrower and more challenging for inexperienced drivers.
Installing permanent, high-security bollards on one or both sides of the street, depending on the parking situation, helps protect sidewalks from wayward vehicles. By adding bollards to streets where tight turns are common, you are keeping the sidewalks intact and protecting nearby businesses or homes. Drivers generally are not operating at high speeds when making such turns, meaning they stop instantly upon bollard contact. Permanent high-security bollards are capable of stopping vehicles going up to 55 miles an hour.
The presence of bollards also helps increase driver awareness. Without these safety products, drivers might assume they can drive up on the sidewalks to make turns, which can damage the concrete and anything else nearby, such as planters or signage. Driving up on the sidewalk can also cause vehicle damage, including tire scrapes and alignment issues.
Pedestrians Might Have Less Room
Narrow city streets can mean less sidewalk room for pedestrians and individuals getting out of their cars. Their risk of contact with wayward drivers subsequently increases, as they do not have as much room to run or dive out of the way. Installing bollards provides pedestrians with peace of mind since they create virtually impenetrable barriers between the road and the sidewalk. Accident rates lower as a result, which contributes to the neighborhood or city’s reputation as a safe place.
Adding bollards for pedestrian protection is also beneficial if there are families with young children in the area. Bollards help keep babies in strollers, toddlers, and other small children and their families safe. Browse bollards today at 1800Bollards, your premier bollard partner on the web.