Mobile vehicle barrier

Mobile vehicle barrier security systems

Since the tragic events of 9/11, homeland security has been an issue of increasing importance and complexity around the world. With terrorists willing to go to any lengths to destroy and disrupt society, the need for new and innovative security measures is greater than ever; However, old, tried and true methods such as the mobile vehicle barrier are just as important today, perhaps even more so, than ever.

Mobile vehicle barrier systems have two basic aims both of which demand different applications and implementation:

A mobile vehicle barrier designed to restrict and slow down vehicle movement in order to enable screening buy security or police forces of both vehicle and occupants. This type of mobile vehicle barrier is not designed to disable a vehicle, but rather compel the driver to reduce speed whilst at the same time funneling traffic into a containable area. Mobile vehicle barrier systems such as these are vital in order to control developing situations, to enable spot, surprise checkpoints and to screen vehicles when there are intelligence estimates regarding a possible attack situation.

Modern mobile vehicle barrier systems are designed and constructed to be lightweight but sturdy, easily assembled by a small and untrained team, require little maintenance and are modular so that different mobile vehicle barrier configurations can be set up to meet the needs and demands of specific areas, terrains and threat assessments.

Many available mobile vehicle barrier systems do have elements that can bring a vehicle that refuses to stop to a halt, usually a spike strip that punctures tires. However, such vehicles can continue to travel, are not stopped instantly by the mobile vehicle barrier and can still be a considerable risk.

This brings us to the second type of mobile vehicle barrier system:

A mobile vehicle barrier that is designed primarily to bring speeding vehicles to an instant and usually, for the occupants, a cataclysmic and fatal stop. Mobile vehicle barrier systems such as these are for use in situations where the risk assessment is exceedingly high, verging on the certain. Such systems have the same requirements as their “cousins” – lightweight, ease of assembly, low maintenance and modular. Where they differ is in the way they operate.

Whilst many such mobile vehicle barrier systems exist, by far the most effective are those mobile vehicle barrier units that exploit the kinetic energy of the vehicle trying to pass. By virtue of design, the forward motion of the vehicle is, when it impacts the mobile vehicle barrier, deflected into the ground bringing the vehicle to a complete halt almost on the spot.

In fact, the faster the vehicle, the more energy and the greater the stopping power of the mobile vehicle barrier. Such a “kinetic” mobile vehicle barrier is amazingly effective and can stop even heavily laden vehicles traveling a relatively high speed – but with often fatal consequences for the occupants.

Published in Security