SolarTech and HAAS Alert Bring Connected Safety to Work Zones

 Solar Technology, Inc. (SolarTech), the industry leader for running portable traffic control equipment, and, HAAS Alert, the leader in automotive connected safety, are pleased to announce a collaboration to enhance work zone safety through connected equipment. SolarTech has offered connectivity since 2014 and now with the addition of Safety Cloud, customers can receive advance collision prevention through digital alerts.

As a standard feature for connected products, SolarTech customers can realize immediate work zone safety benefits from the real-time digital alerts received by approaching drivers through platforms connected to Safety Cloud, including drivers in 2018-and-newer Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler vehicles, and navigation apps like Waze. This connectivity enhancement from SolarTech will enable infrastructure owners and operators (IOOs) to augment SmartZone work zone data management systems with ground-truth information automatically from SolarTech’s connected equipment in the field.

Cory Hohs, CEO of HAAS Alert, said of the announcement, "This partnership with SolarTech is a significant step forward in our shared goal to improve work zone safety. By integrating Safety Cloud into their offering, SolarTech is enabling their customers to leverage our proven digital alerting system, providing critical, real-time information to drivers and drastically reducing the risk of collisions."

Cody Nederostek, SolarTech’s Director of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and Telematics, stated, "The integration of HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud into our product suite further exemplifies our commitment to safety and innovation. Our collaboration with HAAS Alert allows us to provide our customers with cutting-edge technology designed to prevent accidents and save lives."

Newly released federal data shows that fatalities in roadway work zones increased 11% between 2020 and 2021, with at least 956 work zone fatalities reported that year. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “Crashes in highway work zones happen most frequently when drivers are not paying attention to changing road conditions. Distracted driving is a key element of many crashes, leading many drivers to crash into other vehicles, highway equipment or safety barriers. Though highway workers are often among the victims of work zone crashes, the dangers of reckless driving more often affect those behind the wheel and their passengers. Four out of five work zone fatalities were drivers or passengers, according to FHWA data.”

Timely digital alerts give drivers additional time to slow down, move over, and avoid collisions. Advances in work zone safety will continue to rely more heavily on emerging partnerships that cross formerly traditional boundaries to deliver smarter, safer product solutions that help to keep drivers and roadway workers safe.