Josh Hendrickson
Waze, the navigation app that alerts you to crashes, road closures, and traffic conditions, continues to expand its capabilities. Now it’ll warn you about upcoming railroad crossings. Google launched the feature in the U.S. previously, but it didn’t make a big deal of it until now. And it’s rolling out globally too.
Crashes and fatalities happen on railroads more often than we’d like to think. According to the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), 2018 saw 2,217 collisions at railroad crossings, leading to 262 fatalities. For that reason alone, railroad organizations like the FRA want more GPS programs and devices to warn about railroad crossings.
The hope is, having that alert may be the heads up you need if you’re tired and less likely to notice a railroad crossing. In many places, railroad crossings don’t have the lights and warning signs you might be used to seeing, which could be especially helpful to someone on a long haul drive.
Google says the feature is rolling out globally today, including in U.S., Canada, Mexico, France, UK, Italy, Israel, Brazil, Colombia, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Netherlands, and Ireland.
Just keep in mind that Waze won’t tell you if a train is crossing, only that you’re getting ready to encounter a railroad crossing. As always, awareness of the road is up to you. You cand download Waze on Android and iOS for free.
via 9to5Google
