In 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a security briefing that noted a spike in the number of major vehicular ramming incidents that year. The report documents three notable attacks that all occurred in different countries around the world, resulting in the deaths of at least 16 people, with dozens more injured.

In a more recent Homeland Threat Assessment issued in October of 2020, the DHS listed vehicle attacks as one of the primary areas of concern regarding domestic terror attacks in the United States. The report cites tactical simplicity as a possible reason why vehicle attacks are on the rise. According to the DHS, using a vehicle to inflict harm requires minimal skill but—unfortunately—can have devastating impacts when utilized in crowded areas.

With the rise of vehicle-related attacks, what can commercial and public facilities do to protect visitors from harm? One way to deter or mitigate the possibility of an attack is to place barriers between vehicle roadways and pedestrian walkways. Placing a barrier between vehicles and pedestrians serves to reduce the effects of an attack and deter a potential assailant from targeting an area that is more protected.

Bollards can be placed along the perimeter of crowded walkways to create a durable barrier between foot and vehicle traffic. Because these posts are typically constructed using steel or cement, they can offer substantial protection for pedestrians in crowded areas. To help you find the protection that is best suited to your facility, here is a look at how bollards can be used to safeguard people and property.

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What Is a Bollard?

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Where Can Bollards Be Used?

Bollards can be used in many areas to help protect against the possibility of a vehicle-related attack. Commercial buildings and businesses can install bollards outside storefronts to offer protection for visitors. Bollards can also be utilized in crowded parking lots to delineate pedestrian walkways from roadways.

Unlike other barriers that offer protection from vehicle impact, bollards allow for free and unhindered movement. The ADA spacing requirements for bollards is five feet between each post. This space is large enough for a pedestrian to easily pass through when crossing a roadway or parking lot area. A vehicle, however, would be unable to penetrate a row of bollards. Walls and other barricades offer protection similar to bollards, but they do not provide the same freedom of movement for pedestrians or cyclists.

Using bollards to protect a storefront, commercial property, or pedestrian walkway will keep people safe from vehicle impact while enabling these areas to feel open and accessible. Other—more cumbersome—barriers can be obstructive for personnel or customers, and they can diminish the aesthetics of an area. Bollard posts are ideal for providing protection that will not hinder pedestrian access or negatively impact an area’s aesthetics.

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Find the Bollard That Is Right for Your Facility

The Eagle Manufacturing Company has provided commercial and public facilities worldwide with the equipment they need to protect personnel. Eagle offers a wide range of bollard posts for use in parking lots, storefronts, and pedestrian walkways to protect people and property from harm in the event of a vehicle attack.

For more information or help finding the protection equipment that is best suited to your needs, contact a product specialist today.

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