Hi-tech solution to keep road workers safe
RACQ members are invited to participate in a petition for navigation app warnings to help protect road workers.
The Traffic Management Association of Australia (TMAA) is calling on leading mobile navigation apps including Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze to enhance their work zone alerts with improved audio warnings.
As part of this initiative, TMAA has also launched a national petition urging stronger safety measures to better protect traffic controllers and road workers.
This campaign follows troubling findings from the 2024 National Traffic Controller Safety Survey, which highlighted the growing dangers faced by road workers.
According to the survey, 49% of traffic controllers reported near-misses with distracted drivers, while 44% identified speeding vehicles as a major hazard.
To address these concerns, TMAA is pushing for more direct and action-oriented audio messaging in navigation apps: “Slow down for road workers.”
This message, already in use in safety campaigns across Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, serves as a crucial reminder to drivers to reduce speed and remain alert in work zones.
TMAA CEO Matthew Bereni said audio-based interventions had been proven to reduce speeding.
“Studies show that auditory warnings significantly improve driver awareness and reaction times, particularly in high-risk transition zones,” Mr Bereni said.
“A simple change in these apps’ messaging could save lives.”
RACQ Road Safety and Technical Manager Joel Tucker said RACQ members were also invited to sign the petition to help make road work sites safer.
“RACQ has long advocated on behalf of our own on-road workers, and a key example of this was the introduction of the ‘Move Over Slow Down’ rule in Queensland,” Mr Tucker said.
“We invite our members to sign this petition to help protect other vulnerable on-road workers.”
Mr Tucker said with the State and Federal governments committing funding to fix the Bruce Highway following RACQ’s advocacy, Queenslanders now need to help get the job done by making roadwork sites safer.
“Everyone deserves to get home from work safety, and by introducing auditory messaging to popular navigation apps drivers will be more aware of the sites.
“By slowing down they can help to protect the vulnerable workers who are helping to deliver vital road maintenance and upgrades across Queensland and Australia.”
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