As roads are improved and vehicles are made to travel at faster speeds, road safety features have also had to be increased to keep drivers safe. You will learn about some of these features in this activity.

There are many features that you may have noticed that traffic engineers have developed to protect people on highways and local roads. Below are the ways road design can improve the safety of drivers both in cities and towns as well as on the highway.

•  Guard rails on bridges or other hazardous areas prevent vehicles from getting close to dangerous areas, such as embankments.

• Break-away poles for signs and lights reduce the impact drivers feel if they crash into the poles.

• Divided highways and separate roadways and sidewalks for cyclists and pedestrians keep everyone safer because everyone is farther apart and less likely to collide.

• Barrels of life or crash cushions pad obstacles to reduce the impact in the event of a collision.

• Reflective road bumps on centre lines keep drivers from crossing over into the opposite lane when travelling at night.

• Large road signs allow drivers to tell more easily where they are going.

• Overpasses prevent drivers from having to cut across traffic to cross busy intersections.

• Rumble strips on the shoulder or centre line of the road keep drivers in the correct lanes.

• Wider roads, bridges, and shoulders allow for more space between vehicles.

• Lighting allows drivers to see the road and signs more clearly.

• Clear zones along the sides of the road help drivers see anything approaching the road and also protect drivers from injury should they go off the road.

• Gradual side slopes allow drivers the chance to correct themselves if they start going off the road.

• Road surfaces that are smooth and provide friction improve traction.

• Repair of potholes and other hazards help drivers to stay on the road and avoid swerving or damaging their vehicles.

 

 These improvements are increasingly used on highways and local streets to help drivers travel safely.