Definition

A low, raised ridge or hump placed across a road or parking lot to slow down vehicle traffic and improve safety. Speed bumps force drivers to reduce speed or risk damage to their vehicles.

Example Usage

The residential street had several speed bumps installed after neighbors complained about speeding traffic.

Origin

Descriptive compound term, 'speed' + 'bump,' emerged in traffic management vocabulary in the mid-20th century.

Fun Fact

Speed bumps are officially measured and regulated—in the US, the standard height is 3 to 4 inches, and they must be clearly marked for driver safety.

Source: Definition backfill (hailey)

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