Car crashes and accidents can happen anywhere at any time. But there are areas in every city and neighbourhood that are known for having more crashes than others. Waze has added a new feature that will warn you when you approach these so you can take extra caution.
The feature, called Crash History Alerts, will notify you when you’re coming up to crash-prone roads. The idea is to advise you that crashes are common in that area, whether involving cars, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, trucks, or pedestrians, so you can be extra alert while driving through their or preparing to stop or yield.
According to Waze, its users around the world report accidents about every two seconds. The hope is that a feature like this might be one small step towards helping prevent them.
Crash History Alerts leverages AI technology as well as reports from the Waze community and historical crash data to deliver this information. It also takes into account typical traffic levels on both highways and local roads, elevation, and more. If you are coming up on a spot that is known for crashes, you’ll see an alert before you get there. The alerts won’t show up on roads you regularly navigate, and Waze will work to minimize the number of alerts so they don’t become distracting.
“At Waze, we believe driving goes beyond just transportation,” says the company, which is owned by Google. “It’s about helping every driver make smart decisions on the road. By continuing to bring more safety features to your rides, Waze aims to give greater peace of mind on every one of your drives.”