Curbs are raised so that motor vehicles will not be able to drive up the curb and pedestrians can have vehicle-free curbs to walk on. However, in the name of making a city disabled friendly, part of the curb are sloped like what is shown in the photo above. This is to allow access to raised curbs for wheelchairs and thus make a city disable friendly.
Now if you are an able bodied pedestrian, one safety tip for you is to avoid the sloped surface and use the steps if any, or step up the curb instead of walking up the sloped surface. This safety tip is inspired by a fall I sustained when walking up a similar sloped surface like one shown in the photo.
