Drivers in the Halifax area are certainly well acquainted with speed bumps – from school zones to housing communities to parking lots, their rising popularity can make it seem almost impossible to escape them. Used to “calm traffic” in areas where speeding is either a frequent issue or safety hazard, they can come in many different shapes and sizes, from standard speed bumps to the more modern “speed humps.” No matter what kind you encounter, one this is certain: if you go too fast over them, they can cause damage to your vehicle.
Different Areas Can Be Affected
Traveling too quickly over a speed bump is much the same as hitting a pothole at high speeds. The jolt it gives your vehicle can cause issues with your alignment, springs, shocks, struts, or joints. It can also affect your tire pressure, or even cause old or worn tires to blow out. For cars with lowered suspension, going to fast over a speed bump can actually cause the underside of the vehicle to hit the pavement, causing damage to components such as the exhaust system.
How to Drive Over Speed Bumps
You’ve probably seen your fair share of drivers who try and drive around speed bumps that don’t extend across the entire road. While this may seem like a solution, it really isn’t. You can’t always avoid speed bumps, and driving around them can mean you’re driving on the shoulder or in the bike lane. Instead, drive over speed bumps the right way. For speed bumps, you’ll need to slow down to 3-5 MPH to avoid damaging your vehicle. For gentler speed humps, aim for 10-15 MPH. No matter what, aim your vehicle to go straight over the bump so that the tires travel over it evenly. This lessens the changes of scraping the underside of your vehicle on the bump.
While speed bumps may pose an annoyance on your daily commute, they are a necessary component to control traffic in certain areas. If you drive carefully over them, you shouldn’t have to be worried about damage to your vehicle. Over time, however, inappropriate speeds over speed bumps can cause damage. If your vehicle is pulling to one side, steers differently, or has strange noises coming from the tire area when going over bumps, you may have damage that needs to be addressed. Give us a call or go online to set up an appointment, and we can inspect your vehicle’s suspension components for damage, and recommend appropriate repairs.