My family makes a trip to Target at least every month or so. We love buying from this Minnesota brand because they are conscious of the struggles of many Americans and sell their products are affordable prices without compromising on their design. But it seems that every time we shop at Target, we end up spending more than we planned because there are so many enticing things for sale at the big box retailer.

Although we’ve been to Target stores hundreds of times – if not thousands of times – there continues to be one thing that I simply do not understand. What are those big red balls in front of the store, and what is their purpose? My daughter also noticed them and asked, “Daddy, what are the giant red balls doing there?” I realized then and there that I didn’t have a good answer to her question – so I decided to do some digging and wanted to share my results with all of you.

The big red balls in front of Target stores are called bollards. Many stores use them for a special purpose – they help increase safety. The ball helps keep store shoppers safe by blocking cars’ access to the sidewalk. Target doesn’t want someone driving up on the sidewalk and crashing into the front doors of the store, so they installed the large red bollards to block their entrance.

According to TrafficGuard.net: “Bollards are used in so many different areas that most people probably don’t notice them as anything more than storefront decorations. Target uses its iconic red spheres along with a practical bollard behind, and Wal-Mart uses differently designed bollards for different storefronts and locations. While some bollards are more unique than others, they all serve the purpose of promoting safety for their customers and storefronts.”

So, next time you’re walking by a Target and see the big red balls, you can now tell your kids (or anyone else who happens to ask) that they are there for safety reasons. And who knows, maybe knowing their purpose will help you feel better about all the money you end up spending inside!

In the video below, you’ll see how a woman crashed into the red bollards in front of a Target store. She was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. She is expected to appear in court to face those charges that have been levied against her. The woman simply drove her car up and onto the red bollards in front of the Target store near her home and got her sedan stuck on top of one of them. Thankfully, the bollards were there to block the woman from crashing into the store and causing much more damage to the Target location.

Target has big red balls, or bollards, in front of their stores to help increase safety. The ball helps keep store shoppers safe by blocking cars’ access to the sidewalk. Target doesn’t want someone driving up on the sidewalk and crashing into the front doors of the store, so they installed the large red bollards to block their entrance.