Preventing Accidents: Roadside Safety Solutions
Where there are vehicles and busy traffic, there are potential risks to pedestrians, drivers and surrounding property. The right roadside protection can help manage these risks by creating clear boundaries, controlling vehicle movement and improving visibility.
From pedestrian safety barriers and guard rails to bollards, verge posts, speed ramps and wheel stops, there are many solutions available to help create safer environments.
What is Road Safety Week?
Road Safety Week is an annual event that raises awareness of road safety and encourages people to think about how roads and public spaces can be made safer.
While road safety is important all year round, it provides a useful opportunity to look at the different ways businesses, councils and site managers can help protect road users and pedestrians.
How to Increase Roadside Safety
Guard Rails: Creating Safer Pedestrian Areas
A guard rail provides a physical barrier between pedestrians and traffic, helping to keep people away from moving vehicles. They’re particularly useful in busy pedestrian areas, creating a clear boundary and helping guide pedestrians along a safer route.
PG1 has full-height infill bars that provide clear visibility, pedestrian protection and effective foot traffic guidance. PG2 features a 200mm open sight section at the top, giving drivers better visibility of pedestrians, especially children.
Our BS 7818-compliant guardrails are available with or without a sight top. The sight top includes a clear section to help maintain visibility between pedestrians and the surrounding area.
Speed Ramps: Helping Control Vehicle Speeds
Vehicle speed is an important part of roadside safety, particularly in areas where vehicles and pedestrians are close together.
Speed ramps can help slow traffic in locations such as car parks, outside schools and other busy areas.
Our Speed Ramp systems are designed to encourage vehicles to travel at either 5mph or 10mph, depending on the system selected. Lower vehicle speeds can help reduce the potential severity of accidents involving pedestrians, vehicles and property.
Wheel Stops: Supporting Safer Parking
Safety is also important in car parks and private parking areas.
Wheel stops provide a clear stopping point for vehicles to prevent them from moving too far forward. They can help maintain pedestrian routes and protect buildings, barriers and other vehicles.
Our Wheel Stops are available in Commercial, Domestic, HGV and HLGV options to suit different parking areas and vehicle types.
Verge Posts: Improving Roadside Visibility
Roadside boundaries and hazards can be difficult to see in poor weather or during hours of darkness.
Verge posts help mark the edge of roads and highlight potential hazards on highways, rural roads and in car parks. Reflectors improve their visibility to drivers, particularly in fog, heavy rain and low-light conditions.
By clearly marking the roadside, verge posts can help drivers understand the layout and boundaries of the road.
Stainless Steel Bollards: Separating Vehicles and Pedestrians
Bollards can help separate vehicles from pedestrians and control access to certain areas.
They can be used on pavements, pedestrian areas, car parks and other locations where vehicle access needs to be restricted. For example, bollards can help protect pedestrian areas and discourage vehicles from entering spaces where they should not be.
Our bollards are available in galvanised and stainless steel options to suit different environments and requirements.
Chapter 8 Barriers: Improving Temporary Traffic Safety
Chapter 8 barriers help create safer environments around roadworks, construction sites and public spaces by guiding pedestrians, restricting access and separating people from traffic.
Available in plastic, water-filled, heavy-base and collapsible designs, these barriers offer practical solutions for temporary traffic and pedestrian management. Many feature reflective panels for improved visibility and are designed to meet Chapter 8 requirements.
With compatible accessories and flexible configurations, they can be adapted to suit a range of roadside safety needs.
Creating Safer Roadside Environments
There is no single solution for every roadside safety requirement. The right products will depend on factors such as traffic levels, pedestrian movement, visibility and the layout of the area.
Guardrails can separate pedestrians from traffic, bollards can control vehicle access, verge posts can improve visibility, speed ramps can encourage slower speeds, and wheel stops can help vehicles park safely.
Using the right combination of roadside protection can help manage risks and create safer spaces for pedestrians and road users.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about our roadside protection products or need help choosing the right solution, you can contact us by:
- Phone: 01283 512 111
- Email: sales@firstfence.co.uk
- Live chat: Available on our website
Ask about our flexible finance options to help you meet your budget.
