In our modern world, we often see cars, trucks, and other vehicles traveling through areas that are shared with pedestrians or close to buildings. Protecting people and the buildings from accidents or collisions is important and there are some good ways to do that. Design elements in the building or environment are good options but in existing areas, installing new protective components might be the only choice.

Steel Pipe Bollards

Used in front of buildings and along pedestrian areas, steel pipe bollards are nothing more than a heavy walled pipe that is filled with concrete and placed into the ground vertically. These are very common in from of the entrance doors to many major retailers and are a good option because they are close enough together to stop a car from getting through but pedestrians can easily walk through the area. Pushing shopping carts, strollers, or even rolling carts with large merchandise on them, between the bollards is convenient as well. Paint the pipe to match your building and they will almost blend in or become part of the building's aesthetic.

Concrete Barriers

Though not as user-friendly as the steel pipe bollards, concrete barriers are another option to keep vehicle traffic out of an area. In most cases, concrete barriers are used for temporary solutions, not long term or permanent solutions. They are portable if you have a large wheel loader to move them with and offer the benefit of being large enough to divert and control traffic flow through an area.

Water Filled Barriers

Similar in size and shape to the concrete barriers, these plastic versions are placed where they are needed then filling with water. Once filled they are too heavy to move and will stop a vehicle but when you don't need them anymore, you can drain the water out of them and move them in the back of a pickup if need be. Most of these plastic solutions are bright colored and marked with reflective tape to help the driver see them after dark as well.

Wood or Steel Fencing

While wood or steel fences can be effective in marking areas where vehicles are not permitted, they are not very effective in stopping collisions. A fence can be reinforced with bollards and if done right, they can be almost unseen but the fence alone is not going to keep a car or truck out of an area if the vehicle is moving fast enough. The fence may slow them down but will likely be damaged or destroyed in the collision.

If you'd like more information on these barriers, contact companies like Traffic Protectors.