Wanco Taps Safety Cloud® for Enhanced Work Zone Safety via Digital Alerting

ARVADO, C0, April 19, 2023 (Global Newswire) -- HAAS Alert, the leader in automotive connected safety, and Wanco Inc., the industry leader in traffic safety products, are pleased to announce the next milestone in their collaborative initiatives to improve work zone safety through connected solutions. Wanco’s next-generation arrow boards will soon come activated from the factory on HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud^®, enabling the delivery of real-time digital alerts to approaching motorists that help to prevent crashes and protect work zone operators.

As a standard feature for future arrow boards, Wanco customers will soon be able to 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, Chrysler, and Alfa Romeo vehicles in North America, and navigation apps like Waze. This product enhancement from Wanco will enable infrastructure owners and operators (IOOs) to augment work zone data management systems with ground-truth information automatically generated from Wanco’s connected equipment in the field.

Cory Hohs, CEO of HAAS Alert, said of the announcement, “Work zones on American roads have been too dangerous for too long, and as part of Work Zone Awareness week, we wanted to make it clear that safer work zones are right around the corner. We’re happy to partner with Wanco to give these crews access to more reliable solutions for safety and protection when it matters the most.”

Matthew Wanasz, Wanco COO and President, stated, “Today’s announcement underscores Wanco’s ongoing commitment to industry leadership by continuing to raise the standard for work zone safety products. We’re flipping the switch so you don’t have to. By including connectivity on products already mandated for use in work zones, we are equipping our customers with even greater opportunities to help reduce accidents and protect roadway personnel. HAAS Alert has clearly demonstrated their steadfast commitment to improved roadway safety, making them a logical, strategic partner.”   

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.

About HAAS Alert

HAAS Alert's mission is to build lifesaving mobility solutions to make vehicles and roads safer and smarter. Our vision is a connected, collision-free world where everyone gets home safely. HAAS Alert makes roads and communities safer by delivering digital alerts from emergency response, municipal and private fleets, work zones, and connected infrastructure to nearby drivers through its vehicle communication platform Safety Cloud. For more information, visit www.haasalert.com. 

About Wanco

Since 1984, Wanco has been designing, engineering and manufacturing high-quality and easy-to-use portable safety equipment and accessories for industries such as traffic management, construction, mining, security and surveillance, and many others. For more information, visit wanco.com.