ATLANTA — The Auto Club Group (AAA) has introduced a new safety feature that leverages GPS technology to protect roadside assistance workers, the organization announced Tuesday.
Using integration with Waze and Google Maps, the new system will now alert drivers when they are approaching a disabled vehicle or a roadside technician, giving motorists an opportunity to slow down or move to a safer lane.
The platform integration will help address a critical safety issue, AAA said: The organization responds to over 30 million calls for roadside assistance every year, and two emergency responders -- including AAA roadside technicians -- are killed every month.
"Far too many deaths occur because drivers are either not paying attention or do not realize they're approaching someone on the roadside," said Scott VerBracken, Vice President of Automotive Services for AAA – The Auto Club Group.
The alert system piggybacks on the real-time traffic and road hazard information available through Waze or Google Maps.
It works by automatically pinpointing the location of a disabled vehicle through GPS mapping. When a AAA member requests roadside help, nearby drivers using Waze or Google Maps receive an alert about the disabled vehicle. Upon a technician's arrival, the alert updates to specifically warn of a service technician's presence.
Currently, the system is active in 14 states where The Auto Club operates, including Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and several across the Midwest.
Editor's Note: This article was created using the Claude AI tool and edited by an 11Alive digital producer.
