Personalized driver safety ‘SmartSigns’ coming soon to Spokane Public Schools

Drivers who pass by a Spokane school later this year may get specified advice about their bad driving.

The Spokane Public Schools is developing a traffic safety plan and participating in a pilot program that will use electronic signs and artificial intelligence to give motorists feedback on how they’re driving.

During the Washington Traffic Safety Commission’s quarterly meeting on Thursday, program manager Janine Koffel highlighted Spokane as a case study to show how the commission is tackling a triple safety threat in school zones: speeding, distracted driving and failure to use seat belts.

“To effectively change traffic safety culture, communities must have a hand in crafting a strategic track and safety plan grounded in a safe system approach,” Koffel said. “School districts like the Spokane Public Schools are powerful allies in this work.”

To help reduce the risk of dangerous driving in school zones, Spokane Public Schools will use signs called SmartSigns that can detect speeding, distracted driving and improper seat belt use in the front seat, Koffel said, a huge increase in data from traditional signs that only scan for speed.

Currently, Spokane Public Schools has eight automated speed signs with the capacity to ticket drivers; however, SmartSigns takes a different approach.

Ryan Lancaster, Spokane Public Schools spokesman, noted drivers do not run the risk of being ticketed with SmartSigns, as the signs act as temporary fix to bring awareness and prevention to the continual speed and distraction happening in school zones.

“The SmartSign customizes an intervention message based on the highest risk observed behavior and delivers that targeted message to the specific driver at the time of detection,” Koffel said.

SmartSigns are a form of artificial intelligence, she said, but to protect people’s privacy they do not take photos of the drivers or passengers, and do not capture personal information. There is a camera that detects risky driving, and the sign is a little farther down the road with personalized feedback.

Shawn Jordan, chief operations officer for Spokane Public Schools, said he partnered with Koffel to apply for a $155,000 community traffic safety grant last week that would go toward installing SmartSigns and help with data collection of Spokane schools, which would determine which schools receive the signs.

The company that owns SmartSigns, headquartered in Rochester, New York, collected data on nine Spokane public schools in November, Jordan said. This data reinforced traffic concerns voiced by families and the community. Out of Spokane’s 55 schools, 10 were selected to receive a SmartSign in the first phase.

Five elementary schools were chosen: Mullen Road, Willard, Regal, Francis Scott and Arlington – along with three middle schools: Peperzak, Sacajawea and Flett – as well as two high schools: Shadle Park and Lewis and Clark.

“Even at locations where speeds were slower, distraction and lack of seat belt use were still observed,” Koffel said. “The risk to pedestrians, passengers and drivers was clearly evident.”

It’s predicted that in the first year over 1 million messages will be sent to drivers using the smart sign system: 876,000 drivers will receive a “slow down” message, 172,000 drivers will see “put down phone” messages and 146,000 drivers will receive “buckle up” messages, Koffel said.

SmartSigns are not only used for dangerous driving but drivers who are following the law and driving safely have their behavior rewarded with a smiley face message, Koffel said.

Spokane schools are looking to install SmartSigns just after spring break around the first week of April, Jordan said.

Data collection on the other 40-plus schools without SmartSigns will be happening simultaneously, Jordan said. This data will identify additional issues and the portable SmartSigns, on moving trailers, will be relocated to 50% of the remaining schools.

“Our interest is around our school zones, but we have the at -large interest of the whole community,” Jordan said.