3D road markings appear on SA roads

Adelaide-based motorists might notice some new artwork painted on roads near popular suburbs including Henley Beach and Magill, as a new road safety trial kicks off.

The eye-popping 3D road markings depict dragon teeth and can now be found around pedestrian-heavy areas as part of a new study by the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Automotive Safety Research.

The new markings – which signal the transition into a lower speed zone of 40km/h – have been installed at Magill Road (Magill) and Seaview Road (Henley Beach) intentionally, due to the high rate of pedestrians in each area, and reports suggest they’ll be popping up in other suburbs.

Designed to create an optical illusion whereby drivers think they’re going faster than they are, the trial was funded by the Commonwealth through a grant program specifically aimed at finding or identifying potential new solutions and new treatments that can improve road safety in Australia.

“As drivers see the size reduce, hopefully they will also intuitively think they should reduce their speed,” said research associate at the Centre for Automotive Research, Dr Mario Mongiardini.

“In combination with this, the spacing of these triangles is also reduced gradually as you travel past the markings. It’s not that much reduction, but it’s enough to make you feel that you are actually driving a bit faster.”

In other states, including NSW and Victoria, non-3D dragon teeth markings are used to denote high-risk areas, including schools or other pedestrian-dense areas.

But, unlike some other states, in South Australia speed limits aren’t painted on the road.

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