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In certain rural areas, stopping at a traffic sign can uncover an unusual detail: holes. A lot of holes. While it’s easy to assume these were made by someone firing their gun at the sign, this isn’t the only explanation for why road signs might be perforated.
What Causes Some Street Signs to Have Holes?
If a street sign is pocked with random holes of different sizes, it may resemble the damage seen on the T-1000 in Terminator 2, likely caused by bullets piercing the aluminum. But if the holes appear orderly and consistently spaced, the sign was probably designed this way intentionally to reduce wind drag.
In some regions, winds are so fierce they can tear down everything from awnings to power lines, and traffic signs are no exception. If a sign is blown away, it could pose a serious safety risk, especially if it crashes into a crowd or smashes a car window. To prevent this, some counties in flat or coastal regions opt to perforate signs, allowing wind to pass through.
Although not widespread across the U.S., studies have explored the effectiveness of this method. A 2020 study published in the journal PLOS One looked at how various perforation patterns can reduce wind resistance. (The optimal hole size seems to be between 30 millimeters and 60 millimeters, spaced about four to five times the hole’s radius, in case you were curious.)
These perforations can be found in signs that are either anchored to the ground or mounted on traffic light poles. In some cases, even the traffic lights themselves are perforated for the same purpose.
Gunshot Damage to Traffic Signs
Bullet holes continue to appear on some traffic signs, causing problems for residents and local authorities. In West Fargo, North Dakota, vandals shot up signs in 2019, resulting in damages of over $15,000, which ended up being a financial burden for taxpayers. In fact, it is estimated that 50 percent of traffic signs in the state need replacing annually due to illegal shooting practice.
Shooting signs is not only a financial burden but also a dangerous activity. As the number of holes in a traffic sign increases, its ability to effectively convey its message diminishes, putting motorists at risk. Holes can also reduce the sign's reflectivity, rendering it unreadable at night. In North Dakota, some car accidents have been partially attributed to vandalized signs.
Ironically, newly installed signs are often the most appealing targets for shooters because their reflective surfaces make them easier to hit. However, there's always the risk that a bullet aimed at a no-left-turn sign might end up striking a home, or worse. While vandalism is generally considered a minor offense, damaging a sign that leads to a tragic event could result in much more severe legal consequences.
The takeaway? When your community needs to create signs designed to withstand windy conditions, it's best to leave the job of making them durable to the experts at the manufacturing level.
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