RUMBLE STRIPS: A WAKE-UP CALL FOR DROWSY DRIVERS

This short article describes or highway safety devices designed to awaken a drowsy driver. Rumble strips, which are raised or grooved patterns on the pavement, are designed to create an audible sound and convey vibrations to the vehicle to alert a sleepy or sleeping driver of imminent danger. Most crashes involving drowsy drivers occur when a vehicle strays off the roadway or hits a fixed object on the roadside. These run-off-road (ROR) crashes account for 1/3 of all traffic fatalities nationwide and 2/3 of traffic fatalities in rural areas. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that rumble strips could cut ROR crashes in half. Rumble strips can also be employed to separate traffic lanes or alert drivers of approaching toll plazas. Some concerns related to rumble strips include complaints from bicyclists about their safety and from others about unwanted noise.