Faulty Speed Breakers a Nightmare for Motorists
Faulty Speed Breaker: A Nightmare for Motorists
Intended as a road-safety measure, speed breakers become hazardous in their own right when engineering standards, adequate visibility and proper warning signage are neglectedBy
Roads have played a vital role in the development of human civilisation. The earliest roads were little more than tracks created by repeated movement of people and animals. As societies evolved, the simple tracks transformed into sophisticated transport corridors designed for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods. Despite these advancements, roads continue to present challenges of their own. This article examines a seemingly minor flaw on our roads that creates serious hazards for motorists – a faulty speed breaker.
Imagine
driving along a road after sunset. Traffic is sparse and the road ahead appears
clear. Suddenly, an unmarked speed breaker emerges from the darkness. The
driver brakes instinctively, the vehicle lurches violently, and for a brief
moment, the motorist is left thanking God for having escaped unhurt.
The
irony is striking. A feature intended to improve road safety has itself become
a source of danger.
Why Speed Breakers Are Necessary
Speed
breakers are an important traffic-calming measure. Their primary purpose is to
reduce vehicle speed at locations where caution is essential, such as near
schools, hospitals, residential colonies and busy pedestrian crossings.
The logic behind their use is simple. When vehicles slow down, drivers have more time to react to unexpected situations, thereby reducing the likelihood and severity of accidents. In areas with significant pedestrian movement, speed breakers can play a crucial role in protecting lives.
No
reasonable person would argue against the need for speed control measures. The
problem, therefore, is not the existence of speed breakers. The problem arises
when they are built without regard to accepted engineering standards. A
properly designed speed breaker encourages gradual deceleration. A poorly
designed one often forces abrupt braking, causes discomfort to passengers and
creates unnecessary risks for everyone on the road.
What IRC Guidelines Say
Recognising the need for uniformity, the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) has laid down guidelines governing the construction and placement of speed breakers. These guidelines specify their dimensions, shape, location and road markings so that they perform their intended function without compromising safety.
Clause 5.1 of IRC:99 prescribes that a standard speed breaker should be a rounded hump with a radius of curvature of 17 meters, a width of 3.7 metres and a height of 10 centimetres. The design is intended to reduce vehicle speeds to around 25 kmph, allowing motorists to cross safely without causing damage to vehicles or subjecting passengers to undue discomfort. The guidelines further specify that a speed breaker should not give rise to excessive noise or cause harmful vibrations to adjoining buildings or nearby residents.
The objective is to ensure a smooth and predictable reduction in speed rather than a sudden reaction at the last moment. In simple words, a speed breaker is meant to encourage drivers to slow down, not punish them for failing to do so.
At night or during inclement weather, this becomes particularly important. Poor visibility reduces reaction time, making sudden braking almost inevitable when a speed breaker is noticed too late. What should have been a controlled slowing down can quickly turn into a dangerous situation, especially for two-wheeler riders and those unfamiliar with the road.
What We See on Island Roads
A
drive through various parts of the islands reveals a different story
altogether. The speed breakers mostly appear to have been built with little
regard for prescribed norms. They are either excessively steep, irregular in
shape and many lack proper markings or warning signs entirely. The shape and
dimensions vary considerably from one speed breaker to another, making it
difficult for motorists to anticipate their effect.
The
problem is compounded by inadequate maintenance. Road markings often fade with
time and are not repainted promptly. Warning signs, where they exist, are often
may be damaged, obscured or missing altogether. As a result, they are difficult
to detect until a vehicle is almost upon them.
Regular
commuters eventually learn the locations of such obstacles through experience.
Visitors and occasional travellers, however, do not enjoy that advantage. They
are more likely to be caught unaware, particularly after dark.
The
matter deteriorate further during monsoon. Rainwater accumulation, poor
lighting and worn-out markings often make speed breakers blend into the road
surface, making them nearly indistinguishable until the last moment.
Beyond
the safety risk, poorly designed speed breakers also contribute to premature
wear and tear of vehicles. Repeated severe jolts affects suspension systems and
reduces driving comfort. While vehicle damage is not the principal concern, it
remains an avoidable consequence of substandard road infrastructure.
Why Unmarked Speed Breakers Are Dangerous
Among
the various shortcomings, the absence of proper markings and warning signs is
perhaps the most serious.
A
speed breaker that cannot be seen in time, ceases to function as a traffic-calming
device and instead becomes an unexpected obstacle.
A
rider who encounters an unmarked speed breaker at the last moment may brake
abruptly or attempt a sudden evasive manoeuvre, increasing the risk of losing
balance. Auto rickshaws, small passenger cars and two wheelers bear the worst
of it. Similar dangers confront drivers of other vehicles, especially when
another vehicle is following closely behind.
The
consequences can extend beyond the immediate risk of accidents. Elderly
passengers, patients being transported to hospitals and pregnant women are
especially susceptible to the severe jolts caused by improperly designed or
poorly marked speed breakers. Picture an ambulance rushing a patient through
the night and encounters one such unmarked speed hump. What may appear to be a
minor inconvenience can become a matter of life and death, in one jolt.
It
is therefore not enough merely to construct a speed breaker. Its visibility is
equally important. Clear markings, retro-reflective paint and advance warning
signs are essential components of any effective traffic-calming measure.
What the APWD and Administration Need to Do
The
solution to this problem does not require a revolutionary new technology or
extraordinary resource input. It requires that speed breakers are designed,
installed and maintained in accordance with established IRC norms and
standards.
The
unfortunate experience of Chennai offers an important lesson. On 25 June 2012,
Tamiz Mani, the 27-year-old son of Tamil Nadu's then Cooperation Minister, lost
his life after his motorcycle reportedly hit a speed breaker on NSC Bose Road
near the Madras High Court. The tragedy triggered a city-wide review of the speed
breakers. Within three days, the Corporation of Chennai surveyed hundreds of
installations and identified more than 400 speed breakers that were either
poorly designed or did not conform to IRC standards. Defective humps were
redesigned and unauthorised ones removed.
Every
year, numerous motorists encounter poorly designed, improperly marked or
unauthorised speed breakers. Some escape with little more than a fright, while
others suffer injuries, damage to vehicles or worse. Most such incidents never
make headlines. They remain confined to police records, insurance claims or into
the memories of affected families. Unlike the Chennai case, they seldom trigger
public debate or administrative action.
The
speed and scale of the response of Corporation of Chennai demonstrated a lot can
be achieved when attention is focused on a road-safety hazard. Yet it also
highlighted an uncomfortable reality.
Road
safety concerns should not become important only when a high-profile victim is
involved. If a faulty speed breaker is found dangerous after the tragedy
involving a minister's son, it is equally dangerous before it. The hazard does
not distinguish between a minister's son and an ordinary citizen.
The Chennai episode also demonstrated that corrective action is neither complicated nor time-consuming when a road-safety issue receives the attention it deserves. If a city the size of Chennai, with its vast road network and enormous volume of traffic, could undertake such an exercise within a matter of days, there is no reason why a similar review cannot be carried out in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The
islands have a comparatively modest road network and far fewer vehicles. A
comprehensive survey of existing speed breakers, verification of their
conformity with IRC guidelines, removal of unauthorised structures and
installation of proper markings and warning signs is be well within the
capabilities of the administration. These are not complicated measures. But
their contribution to road safety is significant.
The fact remains, speed breakers are intended to save lives, not endanger them. Their effectiveness depends not merely on their presence but on adherence to sound engineering principles. Road safety should not have to wait for a tragedy to draw attention to an existing hazard. Certainly not a repeat of Tamiz Mani type incident before corrective action is taken.
Safer
roads are not achieved by constructing more speed breakers. They are achieved
by constructing better ones.
There is a Bombay High Court order on Writ Petition (PIL) No 259 of 2005 (Equivalent Citation : 2005 (4) BomCR 25) which made it mandatory to follow IRC-99 guidelines for Speed Breakers.
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Comments
Removal of speedbreakers before VVIP's visit goes on to validate the contention that speedbreakers cause excessive discomfort to the occupants of the vehicle.
It is ironical that damage caused to commoner and his vehicle is not on the agenda.
Thanks Laxman for your inputs.
Simple way to force these authorities is just give a simple notice of contempt of court and give them two months to repair or remove bumps which do not confirm to these specifications or you will report this to Hon. Goa Bench of Bombay High Court.
This should solve the problem. If not you can send a letter petition to Goa Bench to take action.