Can I Put Spike Strips in My Driveway?
Do you have a neighbor that constantly uses your driveway? Perhaps you see people using your driveway as their favorite U-turn spot. I’ve had this happen to me on multiple occasions and often wondered can I put spike strips in my driveway. The answer might just surprise you.
Putting spike strips in your driveway is perfectly legal depending on which state you live in. You should research the laws in your area to avoid legal trouble. Better solutions exists that will help you limit your liability and risk of being sued for damages.
How to Stop Cars From Turning Around in Your Driveway
You’re probably reading this because you are running out of options on how to keep people away from your driveway. If using spike strips is the first thing you want to do, you may want to reconsider and look at better options.
If it’s a neighbor doing this all the time, it’s generally best to talk to them first before laying spike stirps in your driveway. Your neighbor might not realize this is an issue for you. Your next-door neighbors may not be the only people who use your driveway though. Guests and other people passing by might find your driveway a very convenient spot for themselves.
If that’s the case for you, installing barriers may be the best option. There are different ways to block access to your driveway, including putting up hedges, installing fences, and placing flower pots.
If none of the above mentioned options works, you can always go the legal route and call the police on them. Before making the call though, make sure you have hard evidence to back up your claims – such as photos and videos.
Another option is to hire a lawyer and have him/her give out a cease and desist letter, informing offenders that you will take things further and sue them for trespassing if they won’t stop using your driveway.
Driveway Deterrents You Can Use
Driveway deterrents do a great job at making sure inconsiderate people will think twice about driving through your driveway. The barriers mentioned above are great deterrents.
Putting up a fence is also considered a good strategy but one that may involve spending more.
Driveway security spikes will be effective because, after all, nobody wants to drive through sharp pieces of metal. But is it even legal to use spikes in your driveway? The answer varies by state as there are states that are more stringent when it comes to the use of these devices.
If you do decide to go the spike strip route, you’ll probably want to check out our blog post on How to Get a Car Towed From Your Driveway Legally, so you’re not stuck with a vehicle and the upset owner on your property.
To make sure you won’t get into any trouble. Do research on local laws first and then consult legal advice on the use of driveway spikes. But you do have to note that in most states, driveway spikes are illegal because they cause harm or injury and damage to property.
Let’s say your sole purpose is to keep people from using your driveway. If their car tires popped because of your spikes, you will be in trouble and you will even be paying for the car repairs.
Another scenario to consider is when you have guests over. They may have children tag along and these little ones hurt themselves with the spikes. You will also be held responsible for that.
So does that mean you’re going to avoid driveway spikes altogether? Not quite. There are many different types of driveway spikes and some are perfectly legal to use. We will talk more of that in the section further below.
You might also enjoy our post on How to Stop Neighbors From Parking in My Driveway
How Much Do Spike Strips Cost?
Let’s first discuss how much it would cost to get spike strips. The price will vary according to the size, make, and design of your chosen spike strips. Prices can be as low as $20 while others are in the thousands.
Some come cheap as they’re made with rubber and are not really “true” spikes, but fake rubber driveway spikes that can deter drivers or trespassers.
The more expensive ones are made with real metal but they’re not really recommended to use since they can damage cars or injure someone. If that happens, you’ll be in trouble more and your plan to keep trespassers away can backfire.
Types of Driveway Spikes
You don’t have to invest in metal spikes for your driveway – that is if you want to avoid trouble. Still, if you’re looking for options, there are several types of driveway spikes (real or fake) that might be useful.
Residential Driveway Spikes
Driveway spikes are created to keep people away from your property sans vehicle damage. There’s nothing to worry about – especially hurting someone or damaging their car because these are fake. If you have kids or pets, DrivewaySpikes will keep you at ease since they don’t pose a risk.
Fake rubber driveway spikes from Driveway Spikes could be the perfect answer to your neighbor problems. They look super real and a drive can’t even tell the difference. Once they see it, they might think twice about driving through your driveway.
You can even do something extra by putting up bluff warning signs such as this Severe Tire Damage Sign.
Just think about it: sure, your neighbor might assume they’re fake but they can’t really risk it so they will leave your property instead of driving through. And the best part of it all is that you won’t have to think about injuring someone.
Fake rubber tire spikes also help those who are living in apartments and secure their parking area. If you’re worried someone might steal your parking space, you can simply put these spikes to discourage others.
Also, keep in mind that they are retractable driveway spikes. You don’t have to get out of your car and remove them each time you leave your home. Since they’re rubber and flexible, you can just drive over them.
The “spikes” will just return to their normal shape after. Just a tip though: if you’re doing this, make sure no one sees you or people will know about it.
Another thing to point out about these fake spikes is that they’re made of heavy rubber so you don’t have to worry about them getting blown by the wind or being moved away from the original position. The strip can stay in its place without so much of a problem.
Tire Spikes For Trespassers
If you are bothered by trespassers accessing your private property, tire spikes can also work for them. Some of the tire spikes are designed to fit fence tops so one would be discouraged to touch your fence.
If you have a regular trespasser, these De-Bird spike strips could work. It would also work if an animal keeps wandering into your property. Perhaps, you have a garden that you want to preserve.
These tire spikes are effective. They’re not really made of metal that can seriously injure someone or something.
Remote Control Driveway Spikes
For serious cases, remote control driveway spikes will be used, but it’s not really recommended for residential properties. These are reserved for police chase to make sure a suspect on the run won’t go anywhere far.
An example of this is the DynaSpike remote control spike strip. Since it’s remote-controlled, you can just operate it from afar giving you a safe distance from the road and from the spike system itself. It’s designed to be lightweight and can extend its length in just two seconds.
And since this is the real deal when it comes to spike systems, this might not be the best option especially if you’re dealing with only inconsiderate neighbors. It’s not readily available on Amazon, which means it is not intended to be sold to residential properties. Instead, it’s a product intended for authorities.
DIY Driveway Spikes
While it’s a generally not recommended and very high risk, there’s also the option of making your own DIY homemade tire spike strips for use on your property. Not only will it save you a lot of money, but it’s pretty effective and not that difficult to do.
Conclusion: Can I Put Spike Strips in My Driveway?
The key takeaway from this article is that putting spike strips in your driveway is considered illegal in most states. Research your local laws regarding the use of spike strips. If, however, it is acceptable to use them, keep in mind that you can still get in trouble for it.
Putting spike strips to protect your property may make sense but once it causes damage or injures someone – even the trespasser – you will be responsible for the damages. Fake car spikes, on the other hand, are totally fine.
Fake driveway spikes are the perfect solution to discouraging drivers from using your driveway. They intimidate people but don’t really cause real harm or damage.
Other than spike strips, also consider other options to make sure people will no longer pass through your driveway. Ideas include putting up fences, growing a hedge or buying fake hedges, and even landscaping your driveway with boulders.
