Collision on the way to a fire is the second leading cause of death to fire fighters. Heart attacks is first. Working with the State of California and Traffic Safety Technologies, SML has tested an in-car alert system warning drivers of approaching emergency vehicles. It uses an existing warning delivery system called optical pre-emption. The increasing number of Move Over Laws dictate drivers to move over of slow down when an emergency vehicle is close by. Unfortunately with cell phones, loud car stereos, and adjusting makeup in the rear view mirror, most sirens and flashing lights are not noticed. Over 8,210 police, 3,100 fire personnel, and 4,600 ambulances were involved in crashes in 1998 according to NHTSA.

     Thousands of dangerous intersections are equipped with optical pre-emption systems. Tucson started equipping intersections first during the 1960’s. A small strobe inside the emergency vehicle’s light bar changes street lights from red to green meaning faster response time to emergency locations. You have seen the small camera-like looking optical pre-emption receivers on mast arms at intersections as pictured below. They are not cameras, but receive the light changing transmission of the emergency vehicle.

     Traffic Safety Technologies, www.traffic-safety-technologies.com has developed an optical pre-emption receiver either plugged into the cigarette lighter or enclosed in the vehicle’s rear view mirror. It is called Emergency Vehicle Alert. Once receiving the same street light changing transmission from the emergency vehicle, EVA warns the driver with voice and a flashing led of an emergency vehicle in the area. It increases awareness and makes drivers look for emergency vehicles. This awareness improves compliance with Move Over Laws and reduces intersection collision potentials. Most importantly, it takes advantage of an existing warning delivery system already in operation!

     Such a system has been recommended the ITS America Public Safety Advisory Group. This group is composed of representatives of the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration, U.S. DOT, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Fire Fighters among others. Their brochure states, “Automated Signal Controls emitted from ambulances and fire trucks turn traffic signals red or green, transmit instructions to civilian vehicles to clear a path.” For further information on ITS America contact www.itsa.org.