Rumble strip on the road

Rumble strips (also known as audio tactile profiled markings) are a road safety feature that alert drivers to potential danger by causing a tactile vibration and audible rumbling, transmitted through the wheels into the car body. A rumble strip is usually either applied in the direction of travel along an edge- or centerline, to alert drivers when they drift from their lane, or in a series of three or more across the direction of travel, to warn drivers of a stop ahead or nearby danger spot. Research has shown that rumble strips are highly effective (and also highly cost-effective) at reducing many types of accidents.

Rumble strips can be created by scalloping a section out of the roadway in a regular pattern, or by adding thermoplastics or cold-applied plastic round or rectangular bumps (raised pavement markers). Rectangular strips often have a reflector built into the edge. Round raised rumble devices are sometimes called Botts' dots. The raised type of rumble strip is common in climates which see little snow, but more impractical in other climates; the raised reflector often gets dislocated during snow removal.

Source: en.wikipedia.orgAdded: 2 June 2006