What is the purpose of rumble strips?
Answers
They alert drivers to potential tire problems.
They test a vehicle’s shock absorbers.
Through vibration and sound, they alert inattentive drivers to the fact that their vehicles have left the travel lane.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is:
Through vibration and sound, they alert inattentive drivers to the fact that their vehicles have left the travel lane.
Explanation: Rumble strips are textured or grooved patterns placed along roadways, primarily on the shoulders or the centerline of highways. Their primary purpose is to alert drivers when they are veering out of their travel lane. This is especially important for preventing accidents caused by driver inattention or drowsiness.
Rumble strips work by creating both a physical and auditory cue for the driver. When a vehicle’s tires roll over the raised or grooved strips, they generate a noticeable vibration within the vehicle, and a loud, rumbling noise is produced. This sensory feedback serves as an alert to the driver that they are either drifting off the road or into another lane. The immediate response to this feedback often prompts drivers to correct their course before they fully leave their lane or run off the road entirely.
These strips are most commonly found on the shoulders of highways, but they can also be placed along the centerline of two-way roads to prevent vehicles from crossing into oncoming traffic. They are an effective safety feature in preventing run-off-road crashes, which can be particularly dangerous, especially in rural or high-speed environments.
In addition to improving road safety, rumble strips also help reduce accidents that occur due to drowsy driving, distracted driving, or other forms of inattention. By providing a tactile and auditory warning, they help to grab the driver’s attention quickly, preventing more severe consequences. The installation of rumble strips has proven to be an inexpensive and effective method for improving highway safety, especially on stretches of road with higher rates of such accidents.