GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A new fire truck alert app for drivers is being piloted in Michigan after one motorcyclist had a close call with a rig.
MLive.com reported that the app, called Haasalert, invented by Cory Hohs, warns drivers to the presence of emergency vehicle traffic. The app has the potential to cut down on the estimated 60,000 crashes that happen every year across the country while emergency vehicles travel to calls, according to Hohs.
“It can really be hard to hear us coming down the road. If this makes citizens safe and we can help with that, we are open to that,” Capt. Brad Brown, with the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Fire Department, said.
The app sends alerts via Bluetooth to a car or motorcycle helmet to help drivers get out of the way of emergency vehicles en route to a call.
If testing goes well for the app, it could be available in other cities.