When talking about increase road safety, no measure will be too much, as the implementation of the new markings demonstrate, the dragon’s teeth.
Stay with us and explore everything about these horizontal markings. Learn what are used for and how they work.
The new road markings, dragon’s teeth, what are these?
When is implemented a new signage, there’s always the question of what is for and what do we have to do when seeing one. Before this happens with dragon’s teeth markings, we will explain which is their function.
Before anything, you must know that for now these markings are implemented in Spain, that doesn’t mean that in your country can’t implement them soon if achieved to prove their effectiveness.
Dragon’s teeth marking was implemented by the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) (in English, Traffic General Direction). Their purpose is increasing safety on streets by creating an optical illusion that street was narrower than it appears, obliging driver to reduce speed in specific tracks.
In other words, these are horizontal signs painted on pavement, with the purpose that vehicles reduce their speed. With that, is intended to reduce the number of run overs in streets; for that, these markings are part of the new road regulations that the DGT performs through Ministry of Transportations, Mobility and Urban agenda.
What are their features?
The new markings are a series of triangles in a row along the lane that, as their name mentions, look as sharpen teeth, from there their name dragon’s teeth.
The regulations indicate that between triangle and triangle, must exist a separation of 4.9 ft; while the arista that limits with the lane line must measure 29.5 in.
Where are set and what are set for?
Dragon’s teeth must be located on key parts, as pedestrian crossings, and sites with a high rate of accidents.
Must be visible at long distance, for that will be strictly painted 398 ft before get to the point where must be reduced the speed. Getting to that zone, have to respect the established limit by the law.
How the dragon’s teeth work?
As we mentioned before, dragon’s teeth have the aim of create an optical illusion by giving the sensation that the lane is narrower. In order to get this, experts indicate that when human eye perceives lines on lateral, interprets as the lane get narrower.
The previous information takes motorists to reduce their speed to don’t crash against the borders. In this way, get vehicles reduce their circulation without the need of bumps.
The DGT started to implement them in the test phase in 2021, in the locality of Nava de Roa (Burgos). However, at the end of 2023, when the signals of Dragon’s teeth started to be painted in more roads.
Who knows? with the time is probable to see them in our countries.
