Mon May 11

How energy absorbing bollards are improving safety for school communities

Energy absorbing bollards (EAB) are life-saving structures enhancing safety around school communities. Created to directly absorb kinetic energy when struck by a vehicle, bollards can create safe walkways and play areas for urban schools on busy streets. More than simple structures, EABs are crash-tested, and the results are impressive.

Energy absorbing bollards make school pick-up and drop-off safer

School pick-up and drop-off is mayhem. During the rush, it’s easy for busy parents to lose concentration just for a minute, and that’s all it takes for serious injury to occur. EABs create distinct separation between the areas belonging to cars and children. As soon as kids are dropped off, they move into the area behind the bollards. This clear separation offers a child-safe area where no cars can access.

Bollards make the end of the walk to school safer

Walking to school is one of the most common way kids get to school, but at the end of the walk they’re faced with a bottle neck of cars all vying for a spot in the line to discharge kids. Tragically, the mayhem involved during school drop off can lead to injury and even death due to children being run over by vehicles.

In the USA each year, at least 100 children are killed in collisions while walking towards or from school.
In 2019, a year 7 student in Australia was struck by a car and killed outside Hurstville Public School during drop off hours.

Walking to school does have its dangers but its’ a favourite way to commute for many kids, plus its the only affordable commute option for many families. With this in mind, making the walk to school as safe as possible is the ultimate goal. Thankfully, EABs are an affordable way to achieve this.

Bollards are a cost-effective way to enhance school zone safety

EABs significantly reduce injuries and fatalities, and thankfully, they’re the most affordable crash rated solution. This means community schools, kindergartens and high schools can afford to enhance safety with solutions that really work.

EABs are crash tested with vehicles weighing up to 1,600 kilograms travelling up to 60 km/h. This speed is important, as it’s 20km/hr faster than school zones, allowing for a large margin of protection.

How do Energy Absorbing Bollards work?

EABs don’t only make school areas safer for children, they’re also a safer physical barrier for drivers in the case of impact too. EABs are designed to safely decelerate and arrest an out of control vehicle because the kinematics of impact work differently.

When a vehicle collides with a solid obstacle like a power pole or non-standard bollard, the rear axle lifts and the passengers at the front of the vehicle get pushed towards the steering wheel and dashboard, often resulting in serious injuries.

When a vehicle collides with an EAB though, the front axle lifts up, pushing the passengers in the front seats away from the steering wheel and dashboard. This is proven to significantly reduce injuries and the risk of fatality.

Not only do EABs make the walk to school and the pick-up and drop-off zone safer for children, they also make chance collisions slightly less dangerous for drivers. Reducing the school zone speed isn’t enough to protect children, installing kinematically effective bollards is a vital step to making schools safer.