Could Optical Speed Bars Help Reduce Speeding-Related Car Accidents?

Highway departments across North America have been using an optical illusion to help prevent speeding and the accidents that it can cause. Optical speed bars use painted dividing bars to trick drivers into slowing down. Designers of the bars use specific distance between dividing bars to make drivers slow down. Designers slowly make the distance of stripes smaller over a specific distance. This makes drivers instinctively slow down, according to research.

Across North America, optical speed bars are used on construction zones and other areas where slow speed is vital for safety. The bars work by making drivers more conscious of their speed, even if the drivers do not glance at their speedometer. The way the brain processes the bars makes the driver think they are going faster than they actually are, which actually encourages the driver to drive slower than they intend to.

The optical speed bars work by making drivers feel that the painted yellow highway dividers are whooshing past at a faster rate. This illusion seems to work at slowing drivers down, according to research studies. Researchers have found that on highways, in rural areas, and around construction sites, optical speed bars do seem to reduce driver speed.

One study at the University of Kansas found that drivers reduced speeds by up to 29.8% when driving by optical speed bars. Researchers found that optical speed bars yield the most significant results on the morning drive 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. This may be because drivers are more tired and more receptive to the illusion at this time. Further, studies have found that drivers maintained a lower speed even after leaving optical speed bar areas.

Some municipalities are adding optical speed bars to areas where a high incident rate has occurred. Others are adding them on curved roads or high speed limit areas, where driving conditions are more dangerous. They are also very common in construction areas, where despite posted speed limits, some drivers tend to drive too fast for safety. Hopefully, these optical illusions will help prevent accidents and the personal injuries they cause. Currently, there is no research as to whether these bars prevent pedestrian accidents or bicycle accidents, but slowing down drivers is of course key to preventing most types of accidents involving vehicles.

Client Reviews
★★★★★
Mr. Flaxman is highly skilled and very pleasant to work with. He communicated with me at every step in the process, and clearly presented information relating to my case. To anyone considering retaining his firm, I highly recommend him. Clara Barman
★★★★★
THE BEST. Honest, very knowledgeable, fast and easy. has helped me in numerous situations and has never failed me. Joe Gee
★★★★★
Charlie is a very skilled attorney that advocates hard for his clients. But the best part is he is an all around great guy. He cares about helping and doing what is right for people and his community. And he is not afraid to fight against those who do wrong or against threats to our world. He is fluent in Spanish as well. Do yourself a favor and call him. Andy
★★★★★
I had a lawyer on another case and I never spoke to the lawyer and I hated that I never knew what was going on in my case. Mr. Flaxman was in constant communication with me, explained everything to me, and his staff was really great too. My phone calls were always returned immediately. It was refreshing to be able to speak to my attorney personally. I would HIGHLY recommend Mr. Flaxman as an attorney to anyone who has been in an accident. Gloria
★★★★★
I found Mr. Flaxman to be an excellent attorney for my personal injury case. This is actually the second time I have used him and he really represented my interests. He explained everything thoroughly and he was very available for my questions. Carol
Contact Information