Vehicle Safety in Patron
and Employee Areas

Gary O’Dell, national sales director, Information Display Company

It’s been said before, and in many different ways: Park safety can Vehicle Safety in Patron and Employee Areas Gary O’Dell, national sales director, Information Display Company never be too high on the priority list. Safety is everyone’s “Job One” and that applies not only to park equipment and fixtures, but also to roads, parking, and maintenance areas. Danger zones exist when vehicles can come into contact with patrons or employees for any reason.

We can draw from the experience of cities and towns, with concepts and technology that promote safe speeds and clear reminders to vehicle drivers that they need to pay attention to changed surroundings. Faced with the tens of thousands of injuries that occur yearly in the U.S., public works agencies and traffic engineers have tried and tested many approaches that can offer a range of vehicle speed-management tools for park operators. Some of these approaches have yielded excellent speed reduction records, holding speeds down on 85 percent or more of vehicles.

Parking Areas Are Key

One chronic safety problem exists in parking areas where children, cooped up after a long ride (and we all know that any ride is too long for most small children!) want to get out and walk or run in areas where other vehicles are still parking their cars. There are likely more vehicles than pedestrians in such areas, and the need for reminding drivers to be cautious is important.

Entry gates into the park grounds, if not separated from the traffic inflow to the parking area, can be a caution area as well.

Creative Solutions

Speed limit signs posted in critical areas might seem like the most cost-effective approach, until you recognize that signs in cities and neighborhoods, as well as on the highways, are often flatly ignored. Remember, most patrons just entered your parking area from a major roadway, so additional signage could well be ignored for the same reasons.

Speed bumps offer a mechanical reminder of the need to reduce speed and pay attention. Such devices have proved effective, and moderate in cost, but they can severely limit emergency vehicle speed when those vehicles try to gain access on a roadway. Speed bumps of the appropriate size for passenger vehicles can also be an increased hazard for golf carts or small transport vehicles with short wheelbases, as well.

Consider employing parking attendants. This approach offers a level of control over the parking process and makes the attendants the de-facto guardians of vehicle speed. The cost, relative to other methods, can vary by the number of attendants you employ, and parking-personnel training is an important aspect of this approach, again for safety and liability reasons.

Radar speed displays might also prove useful. The “Your Speed” signs that flash an approaching vehicle’s speed are also great long- and short-term options. The acquisition and installation cost is low to moderate, and mounting such signs on movable platforms such as golf carts or portable stands—using vehicle power sources—can mitigate the cost.

If necessary, look into the option of employing law enforcement officers. A parked patrol car is, of course, a very effective deterrent to speeding and other violations. Speed monitoring on private property is generally not provided by local law enforcement agencies, so any cost must be borne by the park operator.

Another method employed by some parks and cities is the use of a decommissioned patrol car parked near the problem area. Private owners of course cannot display the law enforcement logo normally emblazoned on the sides of a patrol car. But the black-and-white paint scheme goes a long way toward getting a driver’s attention. Costs are moderate, depending upon the degree of reality you need to achieve. In addition, the car must be moved from time to time, so it must be a fully operating and maintained vehicle.

The Right Choice for Your Park

There is a wide variety of tested speed management systems and technology at your disposal, depending upon your particular geography and park configuration. A well-thought-out approach to managing vehicle speeds and related hazards can be added to any safety program. Many excellent resources exist for safety equipment, speed management, and work zone speed calming.

The choice is yours. Your patrons are your most valuable asset. Make sure you keep them coming back!

Gary O’Dell is national sales director at Information Display Company. IDC manufactures radar speed display devices for traffic calming and speed reduction in parks, grounds, school zones, work zones, and major arterial roadways. More information on the company can be found at www.informationdisplay.com.