Industry News | Speed Bumps: Functions, Types and Applicable Rules

Road users will be familiar with speed bumps. These speed-limiting devices are often found on motorways and minor roads to encourage drivers to reduce their speed.

Speed humps, also known as speed bumps, have been in use for more than a century. Since their development, speed bumps have been designed to be safe for drivers.

This is because, as road barriers, speed bumps that are not properly designed can endanger road users and even damage vehicles passing over them. Sometimes speed bumps are too high in certain areas, causing cars with low ground clearance to get stuck.

As well as cars, many motorcycles pass over speed bumps that are too high, causing a dent in the exhaust neck. The consequences of making mistakes in the design of these speed bumps will of course result in losses for those who pass them. It is therefore necessary to understand speed bumps, both their function and the rules for making them, so that they do not endanger or harm road users.

The creation of speed bumps appears to date back more than a century. Speed bumps were originally created by construction workers in New Jersey, USA in 1906.

At that time, speed bumps were made up to 13cm high. This size was quite difficult for vehicles to negotiate at the time, so the design of this speed bump was continually updated throughout its development.

As for the name itself, in America speed bumps are called speed humps. In England, speed bumps are often called sleeping policemen and are often found in busy industrial areas or warehouses.

The term "speed bumps" is now also known as "bumps in the road", meaning that they are used to slow down vehicles in order to maintain the safety of road users and their surroundings.

Generally, speed bumps are made of cement, asphalt, stone and even wood. However, for the sake of road safety, speed bumps must be made correctly as they can endanger the safety of motorists.

The following are the types of speed bumps and their functions based on Minister of Transportation Regulation Number 82 of 2018 article 3:

· Speed Bump

This type is intended for public roads, car parks and private areas where vehicle speeds are less than 10 km/h. The construction of these speed bumps must meet the following requirements: an upper width of at least 15 cm or 150 mm, a height of at least 12 cm or 120 mm and a slope of at least 15%.

· Speed humps

Speed humps are also speed bumps designed for use on local roads with vehicle speeds of up to 20 km/hour. This type of speed hump is manufactured in a cross-sectional shape with specific requirements: a maximum width of 39 cm, a height of 5-9 cm and a slope angle of 50%.

The function of a speed hump is to control the speed of vehicles on roads that can be crossed by pedestrians. Speed humps such as zebra crossings, which have larger projections and surfaces than speed bumps, are often found on local roads and in neighbourhoods.

· Speed Table

Lastly, there is a speed table created for wide roads (crossings) with a maximum speed of 40 km/hour. Made for local roads, collector roads, and environmental roads. Speed tables are usually found on the road to the toll road gate.

With a slope of 15%, the width reaches 660 cm (6600 mm), and the maximum height is 8–9 cm (80–90 mm). However, the speed table format is wider than other types.

Marked in black and yellow or black and white and 30 cm and 20 cm wide. The surface is made of material with material quality equivalent to K-300, as shown in other types.

Apart from the types of speed bumps mentioned above, there are also speed-limiting devices that have the same function as speed bumps, namely speed traps. Speed traps usually have a thickness of around 4 cm and are painted white, located across the road with repeated white lines.

Of course, you can't make speed bumps in a neighbourhood or on a road carelessly. This is because haphazardly built speed bumps can endanger road users.

For this reason, the rules for building speed bumps in Indonesia are regulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Transportation of the Republic of Indonesia No. 82 of 2018 on Road User Control and Safety Devices.

The type of speed bump must be appropriate to the type of road and its function. People who want to construct speed bumps must report and obtain permission from the local transport service for safety reasons in accordance with the applicable regulations.

In terms of manufacturing materials, speed bumps must be made of safe materials, such as cement, asphalt or rubber, so that they are easier for people on the road to see. The slanted lines on the back should be in a black and white or black and yellow colour combination.

After reading about the function, types, rules and history of speed bumps, you will hopefully have a better understanding of their function. The existence of speed bumps can help vehicles to control their speed without the need for supervision. However, it is very important to follow the rules in order to avoid endangering road users and causing damage or even fines.

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