Three types of rumble strip with different specifications installed on a test basis | Test-driving/riding by road users |
As there was a concern that motorcycle and bicycle steering would be disrupted, we installed rumble strips with different groove depths (9, 12 and 15 mm) at the Tomakomai Winter Test Track, which is owned by CERI. We had 62 subjects (ordinary road users) drive a vehicle or ride a motorcycle or bicycle on the test track to confirm the safety of vehicles passing over the strips. After the drive, we surveyed the users on their subjective evaluation of rumble strips. Grooves 12 mm in depth received the most favorable comments; thus, this depth was adopted as an installation standard. |
Noise and vibration are effective even under such conditions. | Snow melts and the road surface appears in sunny days | Anti-freezing agent dissolves snow in grooves. |
The photo shows rumble strips in winter. As the left photo shows, the noise and vibration occur even on snowy roads where the road markings are invisible, which was unexpected. This is a great advantage in warning deviating drivers even when road markings are covered by snow in winter. The snow removal and anti-freezing agent remove snow caught in grooves. No problems were identified regarding road maintenance. Rumble strips have great potential as a “trump card” against head-on collisions. CERI hopes that this technology becomes widely applied and as many people as possible can be saved from fatal accidents. |
Evaluation under winter road conditions National Highway 274 in Hidaka Town, January 20, 2004 Vibration and noise were observed under winter road conditions. Vibration and noise can be observed even when markings are invisible due to snow cover. |
Braking distance test under winter road conditions Braking distance was tested under winter road conditions at Tomakomai Winter Test Track. The deeper the rumble strips, the shorter the braking distance, due to the uneven surface. |
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