Checklist
Car park safety checklist for strata and property managers
Short answer: Check that every bay has a wheel stop at the right setback, that bollards mark and delineate pedestrian paths, lift lobbies, columns, meters and doors, that pedestrian gaps are about 1000–1200mm clear, and that each accessible bay has a shared-area bollard. Then inspect for loose anchors and damaged wheel stops. These figures are commonly cited guidance, not a compliance check: your engineer, certifier or council decides.
Figures: SafeWise product data. Standards are quoted as commonly cited guidance, so check the current edition. How we check
A car park safety checklist turns a walk around the building into a record you can act on. Print it, tick it off and keep it with your maintenance records.
Updated 28 October 2026
On this page: Checklist · Wheel stops · Bollards · Accessible bay · Reserved bays · Inspection · Also on the list · Who to involve · Worked example · FAQs
Summary
Car park safety checklist at a glance
Walk the car park with this table and record the date, the inspector and any defects. It is a simple car park safety audit, not a compliance certificate.
| Area | Check | Who decides | Done |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bay wheel stops | One per bay, centred, at the layout setback; none loose or missing | Designer or engineer | ☐ |
| Walkways | No wheel stop or removed bollard in a pedestrian path | Building manager | ☐ |
| Bollards | Paths, lift lobbies, columns, meters, hydrants and doors marked off, access kept clear | Engineer or fire authority | ☐ |
| Pedestrian gaps | About 1000–1200mm clear; 1200mm on a wheelchair route | Access consultant or certifier | ☐ |
| Accessible bays | Shared-area bollard in place and visible; shared area clear | Certifier | ☐ |
| Reserved bays | Locks work, keys accounted for, removed bollards stored | Owners corporation or manager | ☐ |
| Condition | Anchors tight, reflective bands visible, powder coat intact | Building manager | ☐ |
| Other items | Line marking, signs, lighting, mirrors, speed humps | Designer or contractor | ☐ |
Bays
Car park wheel stops: setbacks and condition
A wheel stop in each bay keeps a car off the wall, kerb, path or lift lobby in front of it. Setbacks are commonly cited from AS/NZS 2890.1. Check them against the current edition and your site drawings.
The setback depends on whether the bay faces a low kerb, a higher kerb or a wall, and on whether drivers park nose-in or reverse in. See wheel stop setbacks from walls and kerbs (AS/NZS 2890.1) for the commonly cited figures.
The commonly cited maximum height is 100mm; our 1650mm rubber wheel stop is 100mm high. We don't claim compliance with the standard.
What to check at each bay
- One per bay, centred. Both wheels should meet it, in a straight row.
- The right setback. Use the nose-in or reverse-in figure to match how drivers park.
- Not loose, cracked or missing. Push it with your boot: it shouldn't rock. Concrete uses M10 or M12 anchors; asphalt uses 300mm spikes or screw anchors.
- Not in a walkway. A wheel stop that projects into a pedestrian route is a trip hazard. Move it.
- Visible. The reflective panels should be clean and intact.
See our wheel stop installation guide for fixing, and count your bays to work out how many stops you need.
Bollards
Apartment car park bollards: what to mark off
Bollards go where a low-speed vehicle could hit something that matters or somewhere people walk.
- Pedestrian paths. Especially where a walkway meets a driveway or ramp.
- Lift lobbies and stair doors. The bays nearest them.
- Columns and corners. Tight turns and the ends of ramps.
- Meter boxes and switchboards. Mark them off and deter low-speed knocks, but keep the front clear for access.
- Fire hydrants and boosters. Mark off, never block. Confirm clearances with your fire engineer or the fire authority.
- Roller doors and gates. The setback must clear the door's travel. See our roller door bollards guide.
Gaps between bollards
A clear gap of about 1000–1200mm is a common starting point where people must pass but cars must not. On a wheelchair route allow 1200mm (Victorian Government Design for Everyone, based on AS 1428.1 (check the current edition)). Keep gaps under about 1500mm clear to keep cars out, as cars are roughly 1.7–1.9m wide.
Measure between bollard edges, not centres: see our bollard spacing guide.
Pricing a job like this? Send sizes, quantities and your postcode.
Request a quoteAccessible parking
Accessible parking bay bollard
AS 2890.6 (2022 edition, which replaced AS/NZS 2890.6:2009; check the edition your certifier uses) is commonly summarised as calling for a bollard in the shared area beside an accessible parking space. Industry guides summarise it as a minimum installed height of 1300mm with a reflective or contrasting band. See also our accessible parking bay bollards guide.
Our 140mm fixed bollard is 1300mm tall with a red reflective band, so its height matches the figure commonly specified. Our other bollards stand 900mm, so they don't. We don't claim compliance with AS 2890.6: check the band and position against the current edition with your certifier. More in bollard height in Australia.
- Bollard present in the shared area, upright and fixed.
- Band visible and not faded or covered.
- Shared area clear of bins, stored items and parked cars.
Reserved bays
Reserved bays: removable bollards, keys and storage
A removable bollard holds a reserved bay or access gap and lifts out of its in-ground socket with a key. The checklist item is control: who holds the keys, and where the bollard goes when it is out.
- Key control. Keep a key register. Record who holds each key, collect keys when a resident leaves and keep spares with the manager.
- Locks and seats. Test each lock and keep the socket clear of grit.
- Stored, not left lying. A removed bollard on the ground is a trip hazard and gets scratched, lost or moved. A bolt-down storage holder gives it a fixed place, as pictured.
Storage holders bolt to the floor and are in stock: $25 ex GST for 90mm, $35 ex GST for 140mm. To decide which bays need a lift-out bollard, see removable vs fixed bollards.
Inspection
Trip hazards and routine inspection items
Most car park trip hazards are put there: a wheel stop in a walkway, a removed bollard left on the ground, a lifted anchor. A regular round finds them first.
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Walk the pedestrian routes
Start at the lift lobby and walk each path to the street. Note anything in the way.
-
Check every wheel stop
Push each one. Look for cracks, pulled anchors, missing stops and worn reflective panels.
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Check every bollard
Look for a leaning post, a moving base plate, loose anchors, dents, chipped powder coat (rust starts where steel shows) and faded reflective bands.
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Check reserved-bay bollards and keys
Work each lock, reconcile the key register and confirm every removed bollard is in its holder.
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Record and fix
Date the inspection, photograph defects and report them. Check again after any vehicle strike.
Beyond our range
Also on the checklist
These sit outside what we supply, so we don't recommend suppliers.
- Line marking. Bay lines, arrows and crossings visible.
- Signage. Accessible bay, exit and speed signs readable.
- Lighting. Check at night as well as by day.
- Convex mirrors. Clean and aligned at blind corners.
- Speed humps. Intact and visible.
Approvals
Who to involve, and what a checklist can't do
- Engineer or certifier. They decide anything that must comply, such as bay layout and accessible bays.
- Owners corporation. Work on strata common property generally needs approval through the committee or manager. Our strata and owners corporation bollard guide has a committee request template.
- Council. Works on a footpath, nature strip or road reserve generally need council consent. Don't block emergency access or a right-of-way.
- Installer. We supply product only. Locate services first with Before You Dig Australia (byda.com.au) and a scanner.
SafeWise bollards are safety and delineation bollards: they mark boundaries, deter low-speed nudges and keep vehicles off an area. They are not crash-rated, impact-tested or certified to PAS 68 or IWA 14. Where a heavy or hostile vehicle is the risk, such as at a lift lobby or building entry, a security engineer specifies rated bollards and foundations.
Builders handing over a car park can run this list at handover and give the owners corporation a copy with the product spec sheets.
Budget
Worked example: 20 bays and 4 bollards
A rough supply budget for a small car park: a wheel stop for each of 20 bays and four fixed 90mm bollards at the lift lobby and meter box.
| Item | Quantity and unit price | Ex GST | Inc GST |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rubber wheel stop, 1650mm | 20 × from $50 | $1,000 | $1,100 |
| Fixed bollard, 90mm | 4 × from $80 | $320 | $352 |
| Supply total | 24 items | $1,320 | $1,452 |
Starting prices per unit as at October 2026, ex GST, before freight, fixings and installation. Freight is quoted per job, anchors are not included and installation is quoted separately. General Australian cost guides put bollard installation at roughly $250–$700 each: see bollard cost in Australia. Pallet and container volumes price better. Bollards and wheel stops are pre-order, so allow for lead time.
FAQs
Car park safety questions
What should a car park safety checklist include?
A wheel stop in each bay at the right setback, bollards that mark and delineate paths, lift lobbies, columns, meters, hydrants and doors, workable pedestrian gaps, a shared-area bollard at accessible bays, key control for removable bollards, and a routine check for loose anchors and damaged wheel stops. Add line marking, signs, lighting and mirrors.
How far should a wheel stop be from a wall or kerb?
The setback depends on the obstruction (a kerb 150mm high or lower, a higher kerb or a wall) and on nose-in or reverse-in parking. The commonly cited figures from AS/NZS 2890.1 are in our wheel stop installation guide. The commonly cited maximum height is 100mm. Confirm against the current edition and your drawings.
What bollard does an accessible parking bay need?
AS 2890.6 is commonly summarised as calling for a bollard in the shared area beside an accessible space, at 1300mm installed height with a reflective or contrasting band. Our 140mm fixed bollard is 1300mm tall, but we don't claim compliance. Check the band and position against the current edition.
Do we need approval to add bollards or wheel stops in a strata car park?
Work on common property generally needs owners corporation approval, through your committee or manager. Works on a footpath, nature strip or road reserve generally need council consent. An engineer or certifier decides compliance questions. Don't block emergency access or a right-of-way.
How often should a car park be inspected?
We can't quote a single interval. Set it with your building manager, engineer or insurer, and also check after any vehicle strike. Record the date and defects each time.
Are SafeWise bollards crash-rated?
No. They are safety and delineation bollards, not crash-rated, impact-tested or certified to PAS 68 or IWA 14. Where heavy or hostile vehicles are a risk, such as at a lift lobby or entry, talk to a security engineer.
Related products
Wheel stops and bollards for the job
Removable bollards
90mm & 140mm, key lock
from $120 per unit, ex GST & freight
Bollards and wheel stops are pre-order on the next container: factory production typically takes 15–20 days, plus sea freight and customs. Storage holders are in stock now.
Pricing a car park upgrade?
Send us the number of bays, the bollards you need and your delivery postcode. We aim to reply within one business day.
Related guides
Keep reading
- Wheel stop installationBay positioning and fixings
- Bollards for strataCommittee approval, request template and inspection
- Bollards for EV charging baysWhat they protect and what they don't
- Accessible parking bay bollardsThe shared-area bollard and wheel stop
- Rubber wheel stops buying guideSize, material, fixing and cost per bay
- Bollard spacingGaps for wheelchairs and cars
- Removable vs fixed bollardsLift-out or permanent
- Roller door bollardsMarking doors and gates
- Bollard height in Australia900mm, 1300mm and why
- Bollard cost in AustraliaSupply and install price ranges
- Wheel stops vs bollardsWhich to use, and when you need both
- Lockable parking bollardsReserve your own car space
- Car park bollardsWhere they go, which type and how many
- Council approvalWho to ask, by where the bollard goes