The safety of all road users is the core consideration of road marking contractors, suppliers and authorities. And there are certain road zones where different materials are used to enhance the safety properties of the road surface.
You may have seen that when you approach a roundabout or traffic lights off a high-speed carriageway that the road surface colour and texture may change. This is often because that section of the road has additional safety features - including anti-skid properties.
So what are anti-skid road surfacings, and how do they work?
What is anti-skid road surfacing?
Anti-skid road surfacing, or high-friction surfacing, is where additional skid-resistant materials are applied to a road surface to help road users to stop effectively, improve visual aids or help reduce collisions in an area that is prone to them.
Anti-skid road surfacing delivers more friction than traditional road surfacing - friction properties that are derived from the calcined bauxite aggregate within it, which has higher abrasion resistance.
The next time you're at a junction or approach a crossing from a high-speed road, keep an eye out for an anti-skid road surface area!
Benefits of anti-skid road surfaces
As noted above, the primary benefit of anti-skid road surfacing is that it enhances road safety at crucial road junctures including traffic lights, stops before roundabouts and high collision-risk areas, by increasing friction and reducing stopping distance.
This is particularly true during adverse weather, especially rain or ice when it can be more difficult to stop a car moving at higher speeds (or indeed even at low speeds during weather events).
Read more: Why heatwaves make driving more dangerous
The other benefit of anti-skid road surfacing is that it can be applied easily to any existing road surface, so long as that surface is in good condition, whether that's a carriageway or cycle lane.
Anti-skid surfacing also saves money by reducing accidents, not to mention reducing injury and potential death.