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Road traffic safety barriers save lives, but how do they actually work?

 

Road safety is still a huge issue around the world. Without sustained action and significant investment in the improvement of highway safety, the World Health Organisation predicts that road traffic crashes will become the seventh leading cause of fatalities globally by 2030. Indeed, road traffic accidents already represent the number one cause of death worldwide for 15-29 year olds.

The statistics tells us that a lot still needs to be done to educate the public on road safety rules. 36% of drivers believing using their horn to signal their anger at another driver is legal, and 26% of drivers experience road rage at least once a week.

Not only that, but when it comes to speeding people are even more misinformed. 36% of drivers believe speeding is acceptable when driving with a partner who’s in labour, 27% think the same of a family emergency, and almost one in ten drivers would claim that running late for a plane or train is a viable excuse to speed.

But it’s not just the misconceptions and abilities of the motorists that affect road safety. It’s the state of the roads too, which gives us an even greater call for effective traffic barriers.

 

Traffic barriers

 

Road traffic barriers are one of the most effective ways of improving road safety, but what exactly are they?

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Road traffic safety barriers are designed to boost safety by reducing the force of a collision. These barriers are designed to reduce the damage done to a vehicle and property.

Depending on the location and purpose of the traffic barriers, they can come in different materials, sizes and with varying degrees of rigidity and flexibility. For crowd control or creating alternative pedestrian routes, thin temporary plastic or metal barriers may be used. On busy roads and motorways however, collision barriers are often steel or concrete.

Collision barriers offer protection, security and clarity for road users and pedestrians alike, but in order to decide on the best kind of road traffic safety barrier for your application, it’s important to fully understand how they work.

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How does Bull Barrier’s traffic restraint system work?

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Bull Barrier’s innovative design incorporates strong steel tubes and sheet carbon steel, which are welded together for maximum strength. Despite their sturdiness, these collision barriers are 10kg lighter than the nearest competitor and are extremely easy to install. Only two people are required to fit modules together thanks to the unique hinge and slot system.

Bull Barrier safety barriers are built with flexibility in mind, meaning they can be used even round corners and sharp bends due to its curved shape and modular design.

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Upon impact, the traffic barriers absorb the impact of a collision, absorbing the energy of the impact and reducing the forces exerted on the driver. Thanks to the shape of the modules and the ripple effect of the energy, the vehicle is subjected to a “roll-off” effect, which directs it back towards the flow of traffic it came from. This protects traffic and pedestrians on the other side of the barrier but also prevents the colliding vehicle from bouncing back into traffic following behind.

When a vehicle collides with a Bull Barrier collision barrier, the cumulative weight and sturdiness of the barrier prevents the vehicle from travelling into the protected space on the other side of the barrier, which ensures the safety of any pedestrians or workforce in that area.

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The durability of this system enables Bull Barrier to withstand not just one collision but to be resilient to repeated impacts. As a result, parts do not to be replaced at great expense after every collision and this helps to make Bull Barrier one of the most cost-effective barrier solutions on the market today – in contrast to many of the concrete or water-based traffic barrier options.

The secret to a Bull Barrier traffic barrier is the combination of sheet carbon steel and steel reinforcement bars, which meet and exceed all current European and international crash test standards for road users and pedestrians.

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Bull Barrier’s unique traffic barrier design gives you the best of both worlds with safety and flexibility. To find out more about these eco friendly, low maintenance, easy to store and highly visible road traffic safety barriers, call Bull Barrier today on 0843 557 7477.