Over 1 in 5 drivers report speed bump damage to their car
Over a fifth of UK motorists claim their car has been damaged by so-called ‘sleeping policemen’.
Damage caused by speed bumps saw councils fork out around £35,000 in compensation claims over the two-year period between 2015 and 2017.
A study found that London councils alone paid out almost half of the total (£15,717), with a staggering 8,516 speed bump scrapes reported on the capital’s roads – and it’s not just local authorities being hit.
Motorists pay out an average of £141 to repair speed bump-related damage, but as they are classified as “traffic-calming measures”, and not “road defects”, it can be hard to make a successful claim.
READ MORE: Driving habits that are secretly damaging your car
There are currently more than 29,000 speed bumps installed on the UK’s roads, nicknamed ‘sleeping policemen’ for their role in slowing traffic.
The RAC warns that driving over speed bumps without slowing down can cause damage to vehicles, particularly to the underside and suspension.
The Confused.com study found that almost half (48%) of the damaged cars sustained tyre issues, while a third (33%) experienced suspension problems.
Although, with a fifth of drivers admitting to not slowing down over speed bumps, the amount of damage is perhaps unsurprising.
SEE ALSO: The RAC guide to the Great British Pothole and Other Road Surface Defects & EU ruling means speed limiters will be mandatory in the UK by 2022
The research is based on an online survey of 2,000 drivers and Freedom of Information requests sent to local councils.
It found that nearly three in 10 motorists (28%) believe speed bumps need to be marked more clearly, while over a quarter think they’re ineffective at calming traffic.
Traffic calming innovations mean some London roads use ‘virtual’ speed bumps in an attempt to slow cars, while Cambridgeshire introduced a so-called ‘ghost roundabout’ to calm traffic.
It is hoped these measures will help combat the noise and pollution associated with speed bumps, while also reducing the financial burden on motorists and councils.
Copyright Press Association 2018. Motoring News articles do not reflect the RAC's views unless clearly stated.
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