In an attempt to increase safety for road construction teams, FleetWatcher has created an app in partnership with Work Zone Data eXchange. The technology is designed to help make work zones and areas with lowered speed limits more readily known to drivers who use popular navigation systems. The app alerts drivers — if those drivers are using Waze, Google Maps, or other popular navigation systems — that they are approaching a work zone.
The system uses data from pavers to navigation apps to identify work zones.
The technology is free to FleetWatcher users who opt in and agree to share their data.
Key takeaways include:
- The Work Zone Data eXchange is a partnership with I-Cone designed to improve work zone safety for the paving industry and is a partnership between technology partners, state, local, and federal transportation agencies, and consumer vehicle navigation systems (Waze, Google Maps, Apple Maps, Trimble, and others) to raise awareness of work zones and the reduced speed limits through them.
- The program is designed to improve work zone safety and limit injuries and fatalities by alerting drivers to the presence of work zones so that they can slow down appropriately.
- The system is free to FleetWatcher users who opt-in to enable the sharing of their data.
- FleetWatcher location data on pavers, shuttle buggies, and mills is updated at frequent intervals on all major smartphone navigation apps and some in-car navigation systems.
- The system sends lat/long location data and location accuracy information to these systems for pavers that are actively running.
- Navigation apps will use that information to identify work zones and display those zones with the adjusted construction zone speed limit. This system will apply to all active roadway jobs including city, state, county, and federal interstates.
- Several state DOTs are mandating the technology, and some are helping to subsidize the cost of the technology that enables it.
“Tragically, work zone deaths occur far too often, but this initiative can help save lives,” said FleetWatcher President Larry Baker. “Alerting drivers to the presence of work zones and the reduced speed limits within them will help to keep paving crews safe. We’re excited to be a part of this life-saving program.”
Watch a video about the program here: https://www.fleetwatcher.com/work-zone-safety.
