Concrete kerbing is an essential tool in reducing accidents on and around roads. It helps increase the flow of traffic, discourages illegal lane changes, makes the edge of the road clearer at night and creates a barrier between pedestrians and cars. Kerbing is most important in areas with high foot traffic, complex traffic arrangements and lower speed limits. It's less appropriate on rural or high speed roads.
Keeps cars and pedestrians separate
Kerbing is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep pedestrians and cars separate from one another. Steep-faced barrier kerbs discourage drivers from attempting to mount the pavement, whether to park or to illegally overtake another car, and this reduces the risk of injury to people walking past. The kerb also clearly indicates where the road begins, so pedestrians will know to take extra care when close to the edge of the path. The clear visual barrier created by a kerb is an effective psychological tool which encourages drivers to stay on the road, even when the kerb is not steep, which may be the case in areas with driveways or car park entrances.
Indicates lanes that shouldn't be crossed
In areas with a high volume of traffic and multiple lanes, illegal lane changing can be a big issue, particularly during rush hour. Kerbing can be used to make lane distinctions clearer, and prevent illegal changes, which are often the cause of collisions. A narrow area of steep-faced kerb is effective in most cases, while a wider area with reflective markers is recommended for areas with heavy traffic after dark. Barrier kerbs are the most effective in preventing lane changes, but most drivers will be discouraged by even a low-walled kerb. Combined with clear signposting, kerbing can significantly reduce accidents caused by confusion in busy areas with multiple lanes.
Improves traffic flow
Using kerbing to clearly mark the edge of curved roads can increase driver perception and reduce accidents in areas with winding roads or sharp turns. Reflective kerbs are very effective in marking the sides of roads that aren't clear at night, reducing accidents when it's dark or poor weather means visibility is low. High visibility kerbing, which is marked with bright white paint, is also useful in areas without distinctly defined road edges. A combination of these two types of kerbing can be used for the best results. Increased driver perception means that traffic flow will be improved and the risk of accidents will decrease.
Share
