Road safety has become a vital concern in today’s fast-paced world. While engineering advances have significantly improved vehicle performance, they have also given rise to increased speeds on our roads. Thus, tools to manage traffic speeds, such as speed ramps, are more critical than ever. Curiously, speed ramps are often referred to as “sleeping policemen.” This peculiar nickname provides insight into their purpose and role in traffic management and road safety.
Speed Ramps – The ‘Sleeping Policemen’
The term ‘sleeping policeman’ is a colloquial term used in many countries to describe speed bumps or speed humps. This nickname intriguingly captures the function of these traffic calming measures. Just like a policeman, they ‘enforce’ the law—in this case, the speed limit—on vehicles passing over them. They ‘sleep’ across the road, ready to ‘wake up’ and carry out their duties whenever a vehicle approaches.
