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Many drivers go over speed bumps every day in asphalt parking lots, but there’s a lot more to them than most people realize. These raised surfaces are designed to slow traffic to safe speeds for the benefit of pedestrians and drivers alike. If you’re considering having them installed in your lot, it’s time to get to know them a little better.

What You Should Know About Speed Bumps

1. Those Obstacles on the Street Aren’t Speed Bumps

Speed bumps are mainly used in parking lots, driveways, and private roads. They are not typically used on public streets because drivers must slow down significantly to safely proceed over them.

kalispell asphaltBumps are designed for areas where drivers must slow down to around five miles per hour. The blockages you see on public roads are speed humps, which are wider and shorter than bumps. These are designed to slow traffic to speeds of 20 to 25 miles per hour.

2. They Come in Different Shapes

If you tell your asphalt contractor you want speed bumps installed, they’ll ask you to be more specific.

A traditional bump is a single device that slows drivers to five miles per hour. A speed cushion features numerous small humps that are evenly spaced out. This allows wider emergency vehicles to straddle the cushion and move at regular speeds. A table is a long speed hump with a flat section at the top, which doesn’t slow drivers as much as they move over them.

3. They Have Many Names

Speed bumps are used across the world and have their own nicknames in each country. In Britain, they are known as “sleeping policemen.” Those in New Zealand call them “judder bars,” while Argentinians refer to them as “lomos de burro” (donkeys’ backs). In Puerto Rico, the common term is “muerto,” which translates to dead person.

 

The professionals at Double Diamond Contracting install speed bumps in commercial facilities in Flathead Valley, MT, and the surrounding area. This fully insured and licensed asphalt contractor will help you keep your parking lot in top shape. They are full-service, offering everything from pothole repair to line re-striping. Learn more about their work on their website and call (406) 253-4373 for an appointment.

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