A new ‘talking’ smartphone app that has traffic safety at its core has won an ITS Canada R&D award and has just gone live in the province of Alberta’s capital city.
The City of Edmonton has launched a new mobile app that warns drivers of school zones, speed-limit changes and high-collision locations. The Edmonton SmartTravel app aims to help drivers avoid getting speeding tickets and prevent them from being involved in traffic collisions. It has been developed as a joint project of the University of Alberta Centre for Smart Transportation and the Office of Traffic Safety.
Through its push-notification capability, the SmartTravel app also provides real-time warnings of: weather factors, such as fog, snow or freezing rain; traffic disruptions; seasonal considerations, such as when schools are back in, or when police or parking enforcement is in operation during special events. It allows users to view maps of: school zones, speed limits and high-collision locations.
The Edmonton SmartTravel app complies with distracted driving legislation because it functions hands-free when the vehicle is in motion. The free app is available for Apple and Android operating systems, and has just been awarded the 2016 Innovation/Research & Development Award from the Intelligent Transportation Systems Society of Canada (ITS Canada) as a tool for researching changes in driver behavior.
“Have you ever wished someone would remind you of a speed limit change? This free Edmonton SmartTravel app gives drivers verbal warnings that can save them from getting tickets,” said Councilor Dave Loken. “A high-collision-location warning may save you from a crash.”
Councilor Bev Esslinger added, “The Edmonton SmartTravel app is another way that the City of Edmonton makes getting around our city safer and easier. The app contributes to Edmonton’s long-term goal of Vision Zero: zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries.”
See a video of the app in action here
