Before-and-After: Visual Proof That Speed Humps Work

Talk is cheap. Data is useful. But sometimes, nothing beats a photo.

When it comes to reducing speeding, improving safety, and calming traffic in strata complexes, decisions are often guided by feedback, incident reports, and resident complaints. But in this post, we’re taking a different approach—we’re showing the real, visible impact. These before-and-after images reveal what happens when well-placed speed humps and wheel stops are installed: clearer traffic flow, slower vehicle speeds, and a safer environment for everyone on site.

Across multiple residential sites, we’ve seen dramatic improvements in how vehicles behave and how residents feel about their car parks. Here are a few before-and-after examples from recent installs.

Site 1: Reversing Chaos at a Brisbane Townhouse Complex

Before:

Residents at this inner-city townhouse complex complained about speeding vehicles cutting corners and blind reversing from visitor bays. There were no clear boundaries between drive lanes and parking bays, and the layout encouraged drivers to cut across open areas to save time.

After:

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We installed a 50mm flat-top speed hump at the main entry to slow vehicles and added two wheel stops at the edge of the visitor parking bays. This physically prevented vehicles from overhanging into the drive lane and stopped the corner-cutting behaviour.

Resident Feedback:

“We used to hold our breath when the kids went to the car. Now, cars are driving cautiously, and reversing is more predictable.”

Outcome:

Reduced conflict zones. Defined traffic lanes. A visible behavioural shift — all from a 2-hour install.

Site 2: Delivery Driver Mayhem at a Gold Coast Apartment Block

Before:

Every afternoon, courier and food delivery vehicles rushed through the shared driveway. Residents shared videos of near misses and noted an uptick in complaints about aggressive reversing and unsafe speeds. With long straight driveways and no speed deterrents, drivers treated it like a private road.

After:

Four rubber flat-top speed humps (50mm height) were positioned at crucial points along the 70m driveway, located close to pedestrian entrances and crossings. Yellow reflective signs improved night-time visibility.

Visual Change:

The previously unbroken blacktop was now prominently marked and divided. Speed humps broke up the space visually, indicating caution even before cars slowed down.

Result:

Delivery drivers move at a slower pace. Inhabitants record no complaints during the first month after installation — a first in more than two years.

Site 3: Unsafe Entry Ramp in a Suburban Unit Block

Before:

This sloping driveway led directly from a residential suburban street into an underground car park. The residents said that the cars coming down the slope would gather momentum and cut the corner, creating a dangerous situation at a critical location with high pedestrian activity.

After:

We added a single flat-top speed hump at the bottom of the slope. It’s a small thing, but it made a big difference. Vehicles now slow down before coming down, and speed and road noise are both decreased.

Side Benefit:

Less structural stress on the concrete ramp — the Body Corporate engineer established that the adjustment can improve the ramp’s service life as a result of softer vehicle entries.

Site 4: Poorly Marked Visitor Bays Causing Pedestrian Obstruction

Before:

In this medium-density block, visitor bays backed directly onto a pedestrian path. Without wheel stops, cars frequently overhung the path, forcing pedestrians, including kids on scooters and prams, to walk into the drive lane.

After:

We installed five-wheel stops (1650mm long) using flush mount fixings, which defined parking boundaries without interfering with footpaths or landscaping. Combined with fresh line marking, the space looks managed, not makeshift.

Result:

No more pedestrian diversions. Cleaner lines. And improved compliance from drivers who now park “inside the box” without fail.

Why Before-and-After Matters

It’s easy to become blind to risk when you see it daily. Body corporates and property managers often know a space doesn’t feel safe, but without visible evidence, it’s hard to justify the investment in a fix. That’s where photos help.

Here’s what before-and-after comparisons reveal:

• Speed humps change driver behaviour instantly.
• The presence of a hump is both a physical and visual prompt to slow down. Drivers no longer make conscious decisions — the hump makes it for them.
• Line marking and wheel stops reinforce good parking habits.
• Parking within designated zones becomes intuitive when physical barriers clearly define and enforce boundaries.
• Perceived safety increases.
• Residents are more comfortable walking around the site, sending their kids to the mailbox, or reversing out of bays, because the risk of conflict feels lower.

Choosing the Right Speed Hump

Not all humps are created equal. Some complexes need low-profile humps that won’t annoy residents crossing multiple times a day. Others require higher-profile humps to deal with external traffic — like delivery vans, service vehicles, or impatient tradies.

Here’s what we typically recommend:

• 50mm Flat-Top Rubber Speed Humps: Ideal for residential and strata applications, where maximum speed reduction is required for critical areas.
• 75mm Humps: Suitable for commercial zones, or problem areas with frequent violations.
• End Caps + Fixings: Always include these for clean installation and minimal trip hazards.

Key Takeaways from the Photos

You don’t need a dramatic transformation to make a difference.

We installed less than 10 metres of product in most of these sites. The entire process takes less than half a day. The feedback has been consistent: complaints stop, traffic slows, and the whole complex feels safer.

The secret isn’t throwing money at the problem — it’s knowing where to intervene and what to install.

Want Your Own Before-and-After?

We offer free site inspections for strata complexes and residential estates across Australia. If you’re dealing with:

• Speeding complaints
• Near misses involving pedestrians
• Reversing incidents
• Delivery driver behaviour
• Unclear parking layouts

It might be time for a traffic-calming upgrade.

You’ll get:

• A custom site walk-through
• Product recommendations tailored to your layout
• A complete supply and installation package with no fuss!

What This Means for Your Complex

When residents stop complaining and start complimenting the car park layout, you know something’s worked.

Speed humps, wheel stops, and proper layout planning aren’t just boxes to tick — they’re proactive safety tools. And as these before-and-after examples show, it doesn’t take long to see the impact.

Need help fixing your site?

We’ve done this across hundreds of complexes — quietly, quickly, and with minimal disruption.

👉 Book a Free Onsite Safety Inspection

For many body corporate managers, complaints about speeding, poor traffic flow, and pedestrian near-misses feel like an unsolvable part of strata life. No matter how many signs go up or warning emails are sent, it often feels like you’re stuck in a loop of frustration. But what if the solution didn’t take months of meetings or committee headaches?

Here’s how one Brisbane strata complex eliminated a long-running problem in just one afternoon.

The Problem: A Car Park Designed for a Simpler Time

This strata complex was like many others, initially designed in the early 2000s, the internal driveway and shared car park catered to fewer vehicles and less aggressive driving habits.

Fast-forward to today:

• More residents are working from home
• Higher tenant turnover with short-term leases
• Delivery drivers and couriers moving in and out constantly
• Ride-share pickups at all hours
• Parents are reversing out quickly during school runs.

Residents had reported issues like:

• Cars taking corners too quickly
• Dangerous reversing near pedestrian accessways
• Confusion about where to park
• Visitors parking too close to entry points

And the most common complaint of all? Speeding! Particularly by non-residents who didn’t know or care about the layout.

The Committee’s Challenge: Fix the Issue Without Causing Drama

To their credit, the committee didn’t want a band-aid fix. They also didn’t wish for a six-month battle over budgets and complaints about new rules.

So, they reached out to us with a clear brief:

“We need to slow down traffic and make the layout safer, without sparking a revolt from the residents.”

The Site Walkthrough: Pinpointing the Problem Areas

We started with an on-site assessment, walking the full length of the internal driveway, shared bays, and pedestrian access points.

Here’s what we found:

• A long, straight driveway created a false sense of speed entitlement: no tight turns or natural pinch points.
• Aside from some faded signage and worn arrows, there is no clear traffic calming.
• Reversing risks where cars pulled out of angled bays into oncoming traffic, with no visibility buffer.
• There are no physical deterrents to encourage caution. It was a free-for-all.

The Solution: Simple Products, Strategic Placement

The entire solution came down to three core safety products — and one bright layout plan.

1. Flat-Top Rubber Speed Humps (50mm Height)

We installed four rubber flat-top speed humps across the key travel lanes:

• Entry driveway
• Midpoint of the long straight stretch
• Just before the reversing bay
• Near the pedestrian crossing point

Why flat-top? They force vehicles to slow down to crawl, not just tap the brakes. The 50mm profile strikes the right balance.

2. Wheel Stops to Define and Deter

We added two recycled rubber wheel stops near reversing points where cars often rolled into shared paths or garden beds. The goal?

• Prevent overhang
• Protect footpaths
• Create visual parking guidance for uncertain drivers.

3. Pedestrian Access Signage and Repainting

This wasn’t just about products — it was about perception.

We repainted:

• Pedestrian walkway lines
• Directional arrows
• Caution zones near bin areas and driveways

These subtle cues help drivers self-correct without enforcement.

Timeline: A Half-Day Install With Zero Disruption

Here’s the part most body corporates won’t believe:

We completed this entire upgrade in under 4 hours.

By scheduling the installation:

• After the morning rush, once most residents had left for work
• In clearly communicated stages, so residents could still access one end of the driveway at all times
• With no need to block off all entries or cause major detours

Residents came home with a safer, more straightforward layout without inconvenience.

The Results: From Constant Complaints to Quiet Satisfaction

We followed up with the committee two weeks later. Here’s what they reported:

✅ Zero new complaints since the install

✅ Multiple residents gave positive feedback, especially parents and older residents

✅ Delivery drivers were noticeably more cautious

✅ Foot traffic near accessways felt safer

One committee member told us:

“I honestly expected at least a few grumbles. But instead, I’ve had people say, ‘Why didn’t we do this sooner?’”

Why It Worked: Lessons for Other Complexes

This wasn’t a miracle. It resulted from choosing the right products, not overcomplicating the solution, and acting before things worsened.

Key lessons:

• Speed humps work — when you install them where they interrupt dangerous habits. One well-placed hump near a speeding zone can do more than 10 signs.
• Flat-top speed humps outperform round-top in residential settings where maximum speed reduction is required..
• Visual layout and repainting can be as effective as physical products in guiding behaviour.
• Quick installs get committee buy-in. When the solution is fast, clean, and low-drama, you avoid the delays that kill momentum.

What to Do Next: Your Complex Could Be Next

If your strata complex is facing the same issues:

• Speeding
• Dangerous reversing
• Complaints about near-misses
• Confusion around shared access

Don’t wait for a claim or a confrontation to trigger action.

We offer free on-site safety audits tailored to residential and mixed-use complexes. We’ll walk the site, map out the high-risk zones, and recommend the right upgrades for your layout and budget.

What This Means for Your Complex

You don’t need a complete redesign to fix a safety issue in your strata car park. Sometimes, the answer is just four-speed humps, two-wheel stops, and a well-timed afternoon.

And that’s precisely what got one Brisbane complex off the complaint treadmill — for good.