The road could be a chaos without the proper guidance from the right equipment. The National Safety Council itself is a living witness to crashes around work zones. According to their data, work zone crashes claimed the lives of almost 900 people, and injured over 40,000 individuals in 2023. Also, since 2010, work zone-related deaths increased by 53 percent.
Likewise during the same year, around 40 percent of pedestrians were struck and killed inside a work zone with a speed limit of 45 miles per hour, or less.
That’s not all. Pedestrians whose lives are claimed in traffic or non-traffic incidents were estimated at 9,076 in 2023, by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Laws and city ordinances can only do so much to mitigate these grave problems. Governments cannot always be present to monitor these areas. This is where traffic barricades do their job.
Traffic barricades are physical barriers used to control, redirect, or restrict vehicle and pedestrian movement for safety and traffic management. These barricades are usually classified into Type 1, Type II, and Type III. What do these stand for? Let’s find out in this concise guide.
The Purpose of Traffic Barricades
Note that traffic barricades are designed to perform various functions.
1. Ensure Road User Safety
Traffic barricades protect drivers, pedestrians, and workers by creating physical separation from hazards. They reduce the risk of collisions by clearly marking dangerous zones, guiding vehicles away from construction areas, accidents, or unsafe road conditions.
2. Control and Redirect Traffic Flow
Barricades help manage traffic movement by guiding vehicles into designated lanes or alternative routes. This prevents confusion, reduces congestion, and ensures smoother traffic flow during roadworks, events, emergencies, or temporary road closures.
3. Protect Construction and Maintenance Workers
By forming a visible barrier between moving traffic and work zones, barricades safeguard workers from passing vehicles. They establish a secure working area, allowing road crews to perform tasks efficiently while minimising the risk of accidents or injuries.
4. Define Restricted or Closed Areas
Traffic barricades clearly indicate areas that are closed or off-limits to vehicles and pedestrians. This prevents unauthorised access, protects infrastructure, and reduces liability by ensuring people stay away from hazardous or incomplete road sections.
5. Improve Traffic Awareness and Compliance
Highly visible barricades alert road users to changing conditions ahead. Combined with signage and reflective materials, they encourage drivers to slow down, follow detours, and comply with traffic regulations, improving overall road discipline and safety.
Traffic barricades from Safety Supplies USA help fulfill those obligations by providing highly visible, durable barriers that clearly separate traffic from hazards, work zones, and restricted areas. Their portability, reflective features, and compliance-ready designs support safer traffic control, protect workers and pedestrians, and improve driver awareness in changing road conditions.
But, the question remains: which traffic barricade should you buy?
Your In-Depth But Concise Guide to Type I, II, and III Traffic Barricades
The Type I Traffic Barricade
Highlights:
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Feature just one reflective panel or rail
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Easily stackable and designed for easy storage
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For pedestrian traffic control or for low-speed roads
The labels “Type I,” “Type II,” and “Type III” pertain to the various styles of barriers, specifically the number of reflective panels the barricades contain. These reflective panels are important to be present so these barricades can provide the complete guidance for pedestrians and motorists.
Type I traffic barricades are those with just one reflective panel or rail. Typically, they are known as a waffle-board barrier since they resemble a sawhorse that can be folded flat.
These barriers with the Type I tag are also indicating that the sheeting is present on the top board. Generally, they are designed to collapse easily on impact, and won’t fly along a projectile despite the speed of cars on the road, never harming cars or pedestrians.
The best Type I traffic barricades are stackable, easily and quickly transported and deployed to a work zone or construction area. They could also be taken down quickly and stored without taking up too much space. The most common applications of these barricades are for pedestrian traffic control or for low-speed roads.
The Type II Traffic Barricade
Highlights:
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Lightweight and foldable flat
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Easily collapsible upon impact
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Has two reflective rails, providing nighttime visibility
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For expressways and higher-speed roads
Similar to the Type I traffic barricade, those tagged Type II are lightweight and can be folded flat, usually. They are also collapsible easily upon impact.
Their distinction from Type I is that they have two reflective rails instead of just one, with alternating orange and white stripes, most of the time. Since the lower portion of these barricades is also often reflective, they also provide better visibility at night. They are mostly for expressways and higher-speed roads.
The Type III Traffic Barricade
Highlights:
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With three larger reflective panels
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Used for road closings, detours, and around heavy equipment
Type III traffic barricades are much larger, featuring three reflective panels with alternating orange and white stripes, most of the time. Due to their size and visibility, they are often used for road closings, detours, around heavy equipment, and other kinds of traffic control.
There are three reflective panels here. However, unlike the previous counterparts, this style usually features two uprights – made from strong materials like wood, plastic, or steel – and sheeting can be on a singular side or both, breakaway-style. These barricades are bigger than the rest.
Traffic Barricades From Safety Supplies USA
For heavy-duty and fully-functional traffic barricades, look no further than Safety Supplies USA. The barricades here are built for durability, visibility, and compliance. Featuring lightweight yet sturdy frames, reflective panels, and easy setup, they suit construction zones, road closures, and crowd control. Designed for indoor and outdoor use, these barricades meet professional traffic safety demands efficiently.
Wrapping Up
Understanding the differences between Type I, II, and III traffic barricades helps ensure proper traffic control and safety. Choosing the right barricade improves visibility, protects workers and pedestrians, and keeps road users informed. With the correct application, these barricades play a vital role in maintaining order, compliance, and safety in any traffic environment. Shop today on Safety Supplies USA.