Traffic signs that can monitor motorist behavior and display messages that are tailored to target such behaviors may be the next step forward as federal and state officials consider innovative ways of reducing the number of car accidents in their jurisdictions.
Across the country, some jurisdictions are experimenting with pilot programs using smart sign boards that display targeted messages to motorists. These smart signs are designed to capture dangerous driving behaviors like failure to wear seat belts or use of cell phones while driving. If the technology spots a motorist driving without wearing a seat belt or using a cell phone while driving, it immediately flashes a warning message to the motorist. For example, a distracted driver may see a “Phone Down” message on a sign board as he is approaching. Similar messages will be posted when the system finds motorists driving at excessive speeds. Motorists who are driving responsibly may be rewarded with a smiley face flashing from the traffic sign.
The signs are operated by infrared and microwave technology, and are not designed to punish or cite violators. However, they can warn motorists if they are engaged in behavior that increases their risks of being involved in a car accident. The technology is very interesting, and traffic safety experts will be eagerly awaiting the results of the pilot program that is currently running in at least two major American cities.
The manufacturers of these smart signs are extremely optimistic about the effects of such signs on motorists behavior. They believe, for instance, that keeping the sign at a single spot for a month continuously can reduce the chances of distracted driving by as much as 40%. Those are extremely promising potential outcomes, and there’s no denying that even a single driver who is encouraged to put his phone down while driving as a result of seeing a message on a smart sign, can mean progress in the right direction.
The advantages of these smart signs in their ability to target distracted drivers is of special interest because of the limited progress that has been made in helping reduce the number of car accidents caused by distracted drivers on our streets. Keeping distracted drivers off our roads is a major challenge for Georgia transportation safety authorities, and while education and awareness programs as well as enforcement campaigns have their place, these efforts could benefit from a boost of innovation. More innovative efforts are definitely the need of the hour since distracted driving rates are actually increasing. A recent report by Cambridge Mobile Telematics finds that the rates of cell phone use behind the wheel have actually increased since the pandemic.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries in car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident, talk to a lawyer at our firm and discuss your legal options for a claim for damages. You may qualify for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income and other types of damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case. Initial consultations are free