The Illinois State Police (ISP) is looking to improve road safety for drivers and law enforcement with a new emergency alert system that would provide more crash notifications via popular traffic apps.
The new notification system is intended to help reduce the number of crashes caused when drivers fail to move over for vehicles with flashing emergency lights. To help prevent troopers and drivers from being injured while stopped along the interstate, ISP and the Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) partnered with Google Public Sector to develop a real-time, GPS-based alert to inform drivers of ISP traffic activity on the road, urging them to slow down and move over.
“The men and women of the Illinois State Police provide an invaluable service in keeping our highways safe, and we owe them every possible effort to ensure that safety is extended to them as well,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “The tragic accidents that have injured and killed Illinois State Police officers cannot become an expected hazard of the job. Illinois drivers – slow down, pay attention, and help our law enforcement officers stay safe while they save lives.”
In a press release, ISP said it is one of the first law enforcement agencies in the country to provide real-time GPS-based traffic information to help prevent what are commonly referred to as ‘Move Over’ crashes. The Move Over Law, also known as Scott’s Law in Illinois, requires drivers to slow down and change lanes when approaching stationary emergency vehicles, including all highway maintenance vehicles displaying flashing lights, and any stationary vehicle with their hazard lights activated.
“This new alert system is a critical step in keeping our roads safer for both law enforcement officers and drivers,” said Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton. “By using realtime technology to help prevent ‘Move Over’ crashes, we’re not only protecting those who protect us but also ensuring a safer driving experience for everyone in Illinois.”
To alert drivers to slow down and move over, a message about a crash, traffic stop, motorist assist, or debris in the roadway is generated by ISP. That message, along with the officer’s GPS coordinates are fed to Google Cloud where it is transformed and sent to Waze. As drivers approach the GPS location of the ISP trooper, they will see a police, crash, or disabled vehicle icon on the screen of their map and receive an alert to slow down and move over. Similar icons will appear on Google Maps in the coming weeks.
“The collaboration between DoIT, ISP, and Google Public Sector represents a significant milestone in leveraging innovative technology to protect both drivers and law enforcement officers,” said Illinois DoIT Secretary and Chief Information Officer Sanjay Gupta. “By providing real-time notifications to drivers about police presence on the roadway shoulder, we are improving the safety of the driving environment for everyone. We are proud to be at the forefront of this solution.”
