Traffic Cones

A danger may present itself on a street, highway, or inside a building, and in all of these instances, traffic cones are used to indicate this hazard to pedestrians or motorists. Designed with a fluorescent orange color and reflective strips, traffic cones need to be visible to pedestrians and motorists in all of these instances. While the laws regarding traffic devices vary with each country, orange traffic safety cones in the United States need to follow regulations set forth by the MUTCD. This includes, in particular, retroreflective strips for night safety.

On roadways, from streets to highways, traffic cones are put in place around an accident or work area to redirect motorists and pedestrians. For drivers, this may include separating or merging lanes in order to move safely around a construction site. As work may continue through dusk and the night, the cones placed on the street must display one or two reflective strips in order to be seen by drivers.

Roadways have varying degrees of visibility, and traffic cones are designed for this. The smallest rubber traffic cones used outdoors are 12 inches tall and are designed for non-street and highway applications. If a highway or freeway is being painted, however, 18-inch traffic cones should be used. Larger cones are needed for roadwork, and on the local street level, 28-inch cones are best, while taller ones are used on freeways and highways. For more visibility, traffic barrels or bollards may be used instead.

Orange traffic cones are not only for roadwork and may be found on sidewalks or inside buildings. Indicating a hazard to pedestrians, such cones, which are typically 12 inches tall, may block off dangers along the street or hazards and work areas inside a building, such as a broken elevator or out-of-order bathroom, that pedestrians may ordinarily not notice.

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