Workzone Safety Alert System

This research develops and evaluates an advanced work zone alert system designed to protect highway workers from errant vehicles, responding to the urgent safety need highlighted by the tragic March 2023 Maryland incident that killed six workers. The core innovation is a specialized alert system that delivers multimodal warnings, combining visual (flashing beacon), auditory (alarm), and haptic (vibrating) signals to notify workers when approaching vehicles pose a threat. The system integrates sensors that detect vehicle trajectories and speeds outside normal work zone parameters, triggering immediate alerts through a worker-worn device that provides simultaneous feedback across multiple sensory channels. Design considerations include weatherproof construction for outdoor reliability, adjustable alert thresholds to minimize false alarms while maintaining sensitivity, and ergonomic form factors that don’t impede worker mobility or job performance. Anticipated use cases span various highway maintenance scenarios including lane closures, shoulder work, and mobile operations where traditional barrier protection proves insufficient. This research first validates the Work Zone Safety Alert System by employing human-in-the-loop virtual reality simulations to rigorously test how workers respond to different alert combinations under realistic distraction conditions, generating empirical evidence to optimize the final system design.  It then validates the system in real-world scenarios, evaluating the responsiveness of the system at live work zones in partnership with the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Office.  This dual evaluation framework measures a broad array of reaction times and compliance behaviors, ensuring the technology serves transportation workforce populations effectively.