Traffic calming facts for kids

An automatic camera

Curb extensions

Traffic calming measures are changes to a road to make car drivers slow down and to make the road safer for people who have to walk across the road. Some traffic calming techniques include installing speed bumps and narrowing roads, which make drivers slow down. Another way to make drivers slow down is to set speed limits. These speed limits can be enforced with automatic speed cameras. These cameras take photographs of people who are driving too fast. Another way to slow drivers down is to make curbs wider.

Images for kids

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  Signing indicating that a motorist is approaching traffic calming devices.

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  Construction of polymer cement overlay to change asphalt to brick texture and colour to indicate a high-traffic pedestrian crossing.

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  Modal filter as part of a trial LTN in Kingston, London

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  Median island with a raised mid-block pedestrian crossing

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  Chicane on a one-lane road

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  A diverter replaces a crossroads with two curves, forcing motor vehicles to turn

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  A motorist disregards a directional closure (a two-lane roadway with one terminus converted to one-way access)

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  Two traffic calming measures: speed cushions (the two reddish pads in the road) and a curb extension (marked by the black posts and white stripes)

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  A (rather wide) speed table