Drivewyze, connected truck services and operator of the public-private weigh station bypass network in North America, and HAAS Alert, which developed the automotive digital alerting platform, Safety Cloud, have announced a new collaboration on Connected Truck safety solutions.

The new partnership will integrate HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud into the Drivewyze Connected Truck platform to deliver digital alerts about vehicles and equipment on the roadway to commercial drivers through the Drivewyze in-cab application.

“Maintenance, emergency response, and work zone events can often place vehicles and equipment in situations that can be hazardous to both workers and drivers,” said Brian Heath, CEO of Drivewyze. “This collaboration will give commercial truck drivers added reaction time to slow down and move over when approaching roadway operations — helping to avoid potential crashes.”

Safety Cloud integrates hazard data directly from roadway vehicles, equipment, and trusted partners and will share this information with Drivewyze in real-time. Drivewyze will notify approaching truck drivers in advance through visual/audible in-cab alerts. Federal data shows that more than 100,000 people are injured or killed in crashes involving commercial motor vehicle (CMV) every year, and more than 30% of fatal work zone crashes involve a CMV.

“Reducing accidents and fatalities requires innovative partnerships between transportation agencies and connected technology providers who are committed to working towards a common goal of highway safety,” said Heath.

Vehicles and equipment deployed on the roadway for maintenance work, emergency response, or work zones represent real challenges to government agencies due to the higher crash and fatality rates associated with these operations. We look forward to working with leading transportation agencies to unlock the IoT capability of their roadway assets so that drivers are provided with advanced awareness of potential risks. This will also help safeguard staff working on the roadway — better protecting them from the hazards of oncoming traffic.

According to Heath, rounding a corner to find a parked maintenance vehicle or emergency vehicle responding to a call can be challenging for truck drivers who are pulling up to 80,000 pounds of weight behind them. “It takes 66% longer for a truck to stop as compared to a car,” he said. “But truck drivers can be ready for that scenario with advance warning. That’s why we’re so excited about partnering with HAAS Alert and working with state DOTs in bringing these critical safety messages to commercial truck drivers. This can help save lives.”

Heath said Drivewyze’s commitment to safer roads for commercial drivers, motorists, and roadway workers is unwavering. “Transportation IoT and connected vehicles are providing exciting opportunities for innovation that can transform the driver experience,” he said. “HAAS Alert shares our safety-focused mission and we’re excited to see the benefits of this partnership in improving road safety.”