Rumble strips are raised or corrugated sections of road that produce noise and vibration when driven over, alerting drivers to potential danger. There are three types: shoulder stirrup strips, center rumble strip lines, and highway rumble strips. They are used to decrease accidents and promote safe driving, especially in dangerous areas.
A rumble strip is a raised or corrugated section of a road that is designed as a road safety feature. If drivers cross the soundtrack, it will produce a strong vibration and a lot of noise, alerting the driver to the fact that he or she may be doing something dangerous. Rumble strips are common along long, dull roads that can be distracting for the driver, and can also be used on curvy roads. Studies on rumble strips have suggested that they save lives, greatly decreasing the rate of accidents on dangerous parts of the road.
There are three types of rumble strips. The first is a shoulder stirrup strip (SRS), found along the shoulder of a highway. An SRS lets drivers know that they have strayed from the limits of the road, putting themselves at risk of crashing or spinning on dirt or gravel ground. A Center Rumble Strip (CRS) line is located in the middle of the road. When drivers cross a CRS, it indicates that they are in an opposing traffic lane, which could be very dangerous. Finally, Highway Rumble Strips (RRS) are used in the middle of a lane to notify drivers of changing driving conditions and to encourage them to slow down.
Most often, a rumble strip is created by plowing heavily into the pavement, creating a corrugated surface that will shake a car when its wheels roll over it. The rumble strip is often embedded in the pavement so plows can remove snow and ice from the road. In other cases, a rumbling strip is made with elevations in the road, such as Botts points.
The first rumble strip was installed on New Jersey’s Garden State Parkway in 1952. Realizing the device’s potential applications, highway departments in many other states followed suit. Rumble strips have become ubiquitous throughout the United States, especially in notoriously dangerous areas.
Inattentive driving can be caused by a number of things. Someone may be sleepy, distracted by the kids in the car, or trying to perform a task like changing the radio station or shaving. As a result of their lack of concentration, inattentive drivers may veer off the road, start traveling too fast, or drift into oncoming traffic. The thunderous strips serve to literally jolt the driver, forcing them back into their lane.
There are other uses for rumble strips as well. On extremely curvy roads, going over the rumble strip suggests that the driver is going too fast and therefore taking too wide turns. In foggy and inclement weather conditions, drivers can use noise strips as guides to keep their cars in the proper lane, although ideally they should stop if they have great difficulty seeing.
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