The world of motoring is always evolving, and so are, of course, the laws that govern it. Many of the traffic signs (both vertical and those painted on the ground) that we know today are so common that we hardly notice them. Every day, thousands of users drive on the roads who pay no particular attention to the rules, and now the Australian road authorities are beginning to warn users that there will be new laws near school environments.
These are called “Dragon’s Teeth”, and are markings made up of white triangles on both sides of the road, and they have a key function: to warn the driver to reduce speed.
What are dragon teeth and where are they being implemented?
As we were saying, this type of signage has been used in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Spain. In the case of Australia, there are only two states that are implementing them and they are New South Wales and Victoria.
Their main purpose is to make drivers see that they are arriving at an area where they have to reduce their speed, however, there are still many drivers who do not understand what this signage is or what it is for. So, we are going to shed some light on these doubts and we are going to explain where these “teeth” are placed.
- School zones: these are areas where it is essential that vehicles reduce their speed to protect pedestrians.
- Transitions between highways and urban areas, so that speed changes are progressive and safe.
- Roads with a high concentration of accidents, so they work as a visual warning so that drivers pay more attention to the road.
Do they have some kind of psychological meaning?
Yes, researchers at Qatar University in 2021 confirmed that these markings on the ground made the visual effect of the road become narrower, so, with that “fear” drivers would reduce their speed considerably without the need for additional traffic signs. In this way, they would be stimulating drivers’ perception and encouraging driving that is safer for pedestrians (and other road users).
Why are they only used in two states?
While it is true that only the two states mentioned above (Victoria and New South Wales) have implemented this new marking, more and more states are considering using these markings on the ground, so there will be many more drivers who will have to become familiar with these white triangles.
Are there any more developments on Australian roads?
Yes, the changes are not only going to occur with these “dragon’s teeth” but also the authorities of both states have approved that the road safety markings on the ground glow in the dark, so that more deaths on state roads are avoided.
The New South Wales government was already testing these markings on a very tight (and mountainous) curve in Bulli Pass where a large number of incidents had already been recorded (125 accidents in total between January and June 2024) in the early morning time range (from 9 PM to 4 AM), so this was the place where the test was carried out. John Graham (the New South Wales Roads Minister) hopes that with better visibility conditions, the number of accidents caused at night will be greatly reduced.
As we were saying, the world has to move forward and try to ensure that all people who get into a vehicle return home healthy and in one piece. For now, these two Australian states are putting all the means at their disposal to reduce deaths and accidents on the roads. Even many times we do not understand these changes.