Speed humps cause road deaths

[Deleted User]

All the time I see people trying to straddle speed humps/pads/cushions.

I see the sides of speed humps severely degraded with sharp edges of tarmac revealed.

When drivers straddle these (as opposed to one wheel on, one wheel off), it wears away the inner wall of the tyre.

At high speeds a blow out due to an eroded inner wall can be fatal. I think 46 people died due to tyre failure last year. 46 people! How many families have been torn apart as a result of these preventable deaths!

And yet these deadly devices are marketed as a a safety measure?

BargainGalore

Its the drivers that are at fault not speed humps. The only thing speed humps do besides lowering speeds usually, is extra noise, vibrations and extra wear and tear obviously the faster you drive over them the more noise etc you may create

Markyt

How do you link those 46 tyre failure deaths to trye wear from speed bumps?

[Deleted User]

There is anecdotal evidence that tyre failure resulting from worn inner walls due to straddling speed cushions causes high-speed blowouts.

To flip things, how do you consider speed humps to be safe? What evidence can you provide? What safety testing has been carried out on speed cushions/pads/humps?

Inactive

urbankoala wrote: »

There is anecdotal evidence that tyre failure resulting from worn inner walls due to straddling speed cushions causes high-speed blowouts.

But no real facts?

Rolandtheroadie

Can you post a link to where you get the info on the 46 deaths by blowouts even?

[Deleted User]

Inactive wrote: »

But no real facts?

As expected the 'show me evidence' clan have showed up. Do you assume everything is safe because you aren't aware of evidence to suggest otherwise?

What evidence do you have that speed cushions/pads are safe? Can you prove that they do not cause damage to the inner walls of tyres?

As for your questions:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/caradvice/honestjohn/6418151/Honest-John-10-questions-answered.html

http://www.v8register.net/articles/Tyre%20damage%20from%20speed%20humps%20IQ%20270809.pdf

BargainGalore

They also save lives too by reducing speed

I am not a big fan of humps due to noise/damage to springs etc but I do accept there is a need to reduce speed particularly in built up areas and even more acute in deprived areas

dacouch

A friend of mine works in the Highways dept of the local council, he told me that speed bumps provide a quandry for the council, on the one hand they reduce speed and are thought to reduce accidents etc. What causes the concern for the council (His anyway) is that they cause more polution as people slow down for the bumps but then accelerate away from them to the next speed bump and the repeat it. They want to reduce accidents etc but they also want to reduce polution...

[Deleted User]

Not 'cannot' - try 'can not'

I have provided links to the Daily Telegraph which clearly state there is evidence.

OK then... simple question for a simple person... do you believe speed pads/cushions are safe?

If so, is this your default opinion (i.e. you believe everything is safe unless you are presented with evidence to the contrary) or have you seen TRL evidence to prove that vehicles can pass over these devices numerous times without any concern with regard to the extra wear and tear and thus safety?

Inactive

The Daily Telegraph article was not evidence.

Do I believe that speed pads / cushions are safe?

Yes when driven over carefully and properly.