Drivers in the Niagara Region can now receive real-time alerts when CAA Niagara tow truck operators are working on the roadside thanks to new Safety Cloud equipment installed in its fleet vehicles.
Safety Cloud, developed by HAAS Alert, sends notifications to drivers approaching roadside assistance responders working on the scene. This technology reduces the risk of collisions, improving the safety of both the tow operators and the motorists they’re assisting. The advanced digital warning component is activated when responders turn on the towing vehicle’s safety lights.
These alerts can be received through popular GPS navigation apps, like Waze and Apple Maps, on mobile devices and in the infotainment systems of newer-model vehicles with Ford Sync, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The alerts will also be available in 2018 and newer models of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and Alpha Romeo vehicles. HAAS Alert is working to expand the alerts to other services and vehicles so that all drivers can receive these critical road safety notifications.
CAA Niagara is currently in the process of installing the alert technology in its fleet vehicles and expects to have them all completed by the end of this winter season. Some of the tow trucks have already been equipped with Safety Cloud and are currently operational on the road.
“We are thrilled to use this innovative technology in our vehicles,” said Kevin Puckett, VP of Automotive Services, CAA Niagara. “Our roadside responders have a challenging job and HAAS Alert not only helps protect them while they work, but also improves driver compliance with the Move Over law and increases awareness for all drivers on the road. We are committed to promoting road safety for everyone and believe that Safety Cloud will make a significant impact in achieving that goal.”
In Canada, the Move Over law requires drivers to slow down and move over one lane when approaching active emergency vehicles, including tow trucks, on the roadside. However, many drivers still react slowly or fail to move over, putting roadside workers at risk. In fact, all of CAA Niagara’s roadside assistance workers have experienced a close call while on the job. Safety Cloud alerts provide drivers with up to 30 seconds of advance warning, approximately 800 meters or the length of ten hockey rinks, to help prevent accidents and save lives.
For more information on HAAS Alert and its towing services, visit www.haasalert.com/towing.
To learn more about CAA Niagara and its Slow Down, Move Over advocacy, visit www.caaniagara.ca/slowdown.
ABOUT CAA NIAGARA
Founded in 1911 as the St. Catharines Automobile Club with just 16 members, CAA Niagara has grown to nearly 150,000 Members with five Niagara locations; St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Welland, Thorold and Grimsby. A not-for-profit membership organization, CAA Niagara, provides emergency road services, travel, insurance and Member rewards.
ABOUT HAAS Alert
Since 2015, HAAS Alert’s mission is to build lifesaving mobility solutions to make vehicles and roads safer and smarter. The company’s vision is a connected, collision-free world where everyone gets home safely. HAAS Alert’s Safety Cloud® service 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 V2X connected vehicle platform. For more information, visit haasalert.com.
