Innovative 'dragon teeth' aim to slow drivers down

Unusual road markings have started to appear on Adelaide roads as part of a new plan to slow drivers down.

The 3D "dragon teeth" have already been rolled out in two suburbs, but the initiative is set to be expanded.

The triangular markings create an optical illusion that makes drivers feel as though they are travelling faster than they actually are, prompting them to reduce their speed.

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They are painted on the road in the lead up to busy pedestrian zones on Magill Road at Magill, and Seaview Road at Henley Beach.

"That's achieved through a combination of the gap between the triangles which gradually reduces … and also the size of the triangles which also gradually reduces when you move along," Dr Mario Mongiardini from the University of Adelaide's Centre for Automotive Safety Research said.

But safety experts warn the dragon Teeth will only be effective if the number of roads they're used on is limited.

"It's not the sort of thing you want to put on every block or every city corner, it sort of dilutes the message," traffic engineer Matt Vertudaches said.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.