Preventing Injury and Property Damage with Bollards

Despite concerns over acts of terrorism and other intentional acts utilizing vehicles, the most common cause of a vehicle incursion remains driver error.  This should be a concern to any business owner – large and small.  Not only are pedestrians and patrons of stores at risk of bodily injury and worse and the business owner therefore at risk to litigation, the business owner could also face the prospect thousands of dollars in damages from an errant vehicle striking their storefront.   Worse yet, the business owner could face thousands of dollars in lost revenue while their store is repaired as may be the case with the bagel shop owner in New Rochelle, NY.

Fortunately there are viable solutions on the market to address this kind of storefront vehicle incursion.  One readily available solution are bollards.  Bollards are available in a wide range of size, strength, functionality and appearance, offering business owners flexibility in terms of what type of traffic control device they choose to place in front of their storefront. 

Removable bollards provide an ideal storefront protection solution for a variety of reasons.   First and foremost is the physical protection provided for the both the structure itself and pedestrians in front of, or in the store.   Removable security posts come in a wide range of strengths and can be ‘standard’ untested bollards that can provide a reasonable level of protection at very low speeds.  Crash tested bollard solutions can provide protection up to 50 MPH, if the correct product is chosen. 

Removable bollards are also ideal because they can allow occasional vehicle access to a protected area.  In a scenario where a business will need occasional maintenance equipment or vehicle access, bollards can simply be removed to allow access.  Removable steel posts are also ideal as they allow for occasional required maintenance, or in the event the bollards are struck by a vehicle, replacement of the post.  This can potentially save the store owner thousands in having to remove and replace a permanent bollard.

Permanent bollards can also be a viable option to protect storefronts, they too are available in a wide range of options and can often (if tested) be used with a bollard cover to give the store owner a desired look.