Tests show effectiveness of police cruisers’ flashing blue lights in freeway work zones | Dump Truck Company
The project found speeds reduced by three to four miles an hour in vehicles that approach highway charlotte nc dump truck company zones with flashing blue lights.
Data were collected for two weeks prior to the deployment of a police vehicle, two weeks during which a police vehicle with flashing lights was stationed at the charlotte nc dump truck company zone, and two weeks following the removal of the police vehicle, the agency says.
The effectiveness was evaluated based on reductions in average vehicle speeds, reductions in vehicle speeding and changes in vehicle lane use.
This project was funded by the Research Center of FDOT and directed by Darryll Dockstader, Research Center manager. The overarching goal is to use the research to help reduce the number of accidents involving freeway charlotte nc dump truck company zone drivers and workers.
Two main safety measures for reducing charlotte nc dump truck company zone crashes and their severity have been to reduce the vehicle speeds in charlotte nc dump truck company zones and to increase the separation between the vehicles and the workers, the researchers say.
To see their report, click here.
As Florida is one of the states with a Move Over Law, the use of blue lights not only may help reduce vehicle speeds, but may also cause drivers to change lanes away from the active charlotte nc dump truck company area when such lanes are available – thus providing additional protection for the workers, the report says.
“This project attempted to assess the effectiveness of deploying stationary police vehicles with flashing blue warning lights in freeway charlotte nc dump truck company zones,” says the preliminary NTSB report.
The 16-year-old Florida law states that “drivers must vacate the lane closest to the stationary emergency vehicle, tow truck, sanitation, or utility vehicle. Drivers must slow down to a speed of 20 mph below the posted speed limit if they cannot move over safely.”
Work zone accidents remain a pressing concern in the roadbuilding industry, with groups such as the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) urging members as well as the public to focus more on safety this year.
In April, NAPA announced a campaign with a video aimed at getting distracted drivers to put down their phones and pay extra attention when they see the cones.
In the new Florida project, each of the two locations under study had flashing blue lights deployed in highway charlotte nc dump truck company zone sites. Below is the report’s summary of key results:
Daytona Beach study location
Gainesville study location
The key results from the I-75 study location in Gainesville are summarized below. These are for 2-lane closure (out of three lanes):
- The deployment of FWC vehicle with blue lights at the study location reduced the average vehicle speed within the charlotte nc dump truck company zone by about 2.8 mph.
- During the period following the removal of FWC vehicle with blue lights, the average vehicle speed within the charlotte nc dump truck company zone was reduced by 3.1 mph when compared to the baseline data from the first two weeks with no blue lights.
- These results for 2.5-lane closure are not considered reliable as the baseline data from the period before the blue light deployment came from just one night closure.)
- The deployment of FWC vehicle with blue lights reduced vehicle speeding (i.e., >60 mph) within the charlotte nc dump truck company zone by about 10 percent.