State College, PA – November 11, 2009
All Traffic Solutions, the leader in traffic safety outcomes, has been selected by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association (RIPCA) to provide thirty (38) variable message signs (VMS) for use in statewide initiatives for alcohol, speed and occupant protection safety enforcement.
The signs, which have been distributed to each law enforcement agency in the state, will be used at specific times throughout the year to communicate a consistent safety message statewide. The signs were put to use for the first time on Halloween; each was programmed to include a message about driving safely on Halloween night and added the tag line, “If you drink and drive you lose.”
Rhode Island officials purchased All Traffic Solutions’ trailer-mounted VMS that are able to display up to three (3) lines of text or full graphics. The signs can be programmed remotely using a computer or PDA. In addition, the signs include radar and communicate speed data back to drivers. Scott Johnson, Vice President of All Traffic Solutions, applauds Rhode Island’s proactive efforts, “Rhode Island DOT and its Police Chiefs have come up with a strategy for safety improvement that is notable for its thoroughness. Some organizations may encourage law enforcement to communicate a message; Rhode Island officials gave law enforcement both the program and the technology to implement it. We are looking forward to seeing positive outcomes from this approach.”
Rhode Island is one of many states that cannot conduct sobriety checkpoints due to provisions in its State Constitution. Rhode Island will couple VMS with overtime patrols to help drive down safety violations. Janis Loiselle, RIDOT’s Office on Highway Safety Administrator, explains, “A drunk driving crash is totally preventable. One way to get this message out is to couple overtime patrols with VMS reinforcing messages that, in Rhode Island, if you drink and drive, you will be caught.”
RIDOT held a launch of the new technology and the initiative in Warwick, RI on October 29th. Featured speakers included RIDOT Director Michael P. Lewis, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Regional Administrator Philip Weiser and Pawtucket Police Chief George Kelley, who also serves as President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association. Eight of the All Traffic Solutions VMS flanked the outdoor stage, flashing their Halloween message.
Direct all media inquiries to:
Lori Miles
All Traffic Solutions Marketing Manager
Calder Square, PO Box 10085
State College, PA 16805-0085
814-237-9005 Ext. 205
lmiles@alltrafficsolutions.com
