USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

General

Subscribe to RSS
Legacy ID
21

Accommodating All Users

Safe accommodation of all road users can be considered when designing and applying rumble strips. Rumble strips are primarily a safety device for passenger vehicles. For other road users, particularly bicyclists, they may cause concerns. A part of the success in accommodating the variety of road...

BICYCLES

RUMBLE STRIPS AND BICYCLE ACCOMMODATION

Center and edge line or shoulder rumble strips are extremely effective in reducing severe roadway departure crashes at a low cost. Rumble strips use both noise and vibration to alert the driver that he or she is leaving the appropriate travel...

General Information

Overview

Rumble strips are an effective countermeasure for reducing roadway departure crashes. The noise and vibration produced by rumble strips alert drivers when they leave the traveled way. Rumble stripes is the term used for rumble strips painted with a retroreflective coating to...

Design & Construction

This section highlights the following items that are important elements of rumble strip design.

  • Crash types to mitigate
  • Facility type (freeway, multi-lane, two-lane)
  • Dimensions of rumble strips
  • Types of rumble strips (shoulder, edge, center line)...

Safety

More than half (57 percent) of U.S. traffic fatalities occur after a driver crosses the edge or center line of a roadway. Two-thirds (65 percent) of these fatal crashes occur in rural areas.

WHAT CAUSES ROADWAY DEPARTURES?

Many factors contribute to drivers leaving the roadway...

Case Studies and Noteworthy Practices

Case Studies

Every Day Counts (EDC) Initiative: City of Bellevue, Washington State
The Federal Highway Administration's Every Day Counts (EDC) initiative identified HFST as an innovation that enhances roadway safety and, as such,...

Continuous Pavement Friction Measurement (CPFM)

The friction provided by a roadway surface affects how vehicles interact with the roadway. Measuring, monitoring and maintaining pavement friction can prevent many roadway departure and intersection related crashes, resulting in fewer serious injuries and fatalities.

More than 50 years...