According to The Newspaper, studies have found that LED stop signs encourage drivers to slow down. Red LED lights are placed at the four corners of an intersection. The idea is to attract more attention to the sign and increase its visibility. This is a non-invasive way to get drivers to let up off the gas pedal. At night, LED stop signs are significantly more visible than traditional signs. Problems with this speed bump alternative include disagreements about what constitutes a full stop at a stop sign, but a reduction in speed throughout the area was measured.
Speed bars are optical devices known as "traffic calming" signals. A speed bar includes evenly spaced lines painted either alongside the road or across it. As drivers approach the lines, the space between them appears to decrease. According to the designers of speed bars, this effect will make drivers feel as if they are accelerating. If the driver feels like she is going fast, she is more inclined to slow down. A different type of speed bar is more interactive. Thick, wide lines are painted across the road. When tires roll over them, they create a rumble effect in the car.
Speed humps are like speed bumps, except they are not permanent. Speed humps are rubber, flat topped humps that can be laid across a road and then removed when they are no longer needed. The flat top design prevents vehicle damage like that associated with speed bumps. Also because the bump is rubber and not cement, it provides slightly more shock absorption. Speed humps can be placed in a high traffic area to encourage cars to slow down. Once a drop in average speed is measured, they can be removed to allow free-flowing traffic.
There's nothing like a good old-fashioned financial incentive to discourage speeding. However, many drivers will likely slow down if they are made aware of their excessive speed. Instead of automatically writing speeding motorists a ticket, British newspaper The Telegraph proposes an electronic warning system. An LED light is placed on the side of the road. As drivers approach it, their speed is measured. If they are speeding, the light blinks red and gives them a length of time to slow down. If they comply and slow their speed, the light turns green or off. If they do not comply, the light remains red and they will be sent a traffic ticket in the mail.
