Portable Speed Enforcement Systems: Efficient, Next Generation Approach To Improving Public Safety

Online, June 21, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Speed related auto accidents kill thousands of people each year. Speeding is involved in nearly one-third of fatal crashes in highway work zones. The latest national surveys find that two-thirds of drivers exceed the posted speed limit in school zones. Each year the cost to society for speed related crashes is more than $40 billion.

Recently, highly efficient and precise portable systems have been developed, commercialized and proven reliable in actual use in enforcing speed limits in work and school zones, thus adding to the safety of people - - whether they are motorists, pedestrians or highway construction workers.

Speed sensor enforcement systems, using lasers and other imaging technologies, are proven systems enabling municipalities to significantly reduce the number of traffic violations and crashes. It has been widely shown that the perception of the risk of getting a ticket strongly influences motorists' driving behavior (IIHS - 2009 Statement before Maryland Senate Committee on Judicial Proceedings on Senate Bill 277.)

Optotraffic, based in Lanham, Maryland provides portable automated laser speed sensor and camera technology and support services to local governments - - to reduce speeding in school zones and increase public safety in many jurisdictions, municipalities and towns. Thirty units operate in more than 12 localities in the State of Maryland.

The company uses in-house developed and patented space laser technology - LIDAR, an application of our company's pioneering expertise in the space industry - that provides highly-accurate, low cost traffic monitoring and enforcement solutions. The company delivers sophisticated, accurate, secure automated speed enforcement systems.

The Portable Dimension

Optotraffic is the first provider in Maryland to deploy automated laser sensor speed enforcement programs following passage of the Maryland law authorizing such enforcement in school zones, and also is the provider in the State with experience in primarily portable systems.

These patented portable laser speed sensor-based systems have numerous advantages over fixed, mobile and traditional radar-based systems. They require no attendant on site and no daily travel to the enforcement site. The camera-part of the system - - used to document the presence and identity of speeding autos - - uses digital photography, and fast processing speed. It is housed in a small 4-foot wide trailer suitable for deployment on any street. With bi-directional capability, it works with ease in dense traffic and multiple lanes simultaneously.

No initial construction is required and no installation costs are incurred. No custom site design or engineering are needed, and nor are installation permits. Further, no power and data connections are required from utilities, there are no removal costs and the units are useable in multiple locations.

Because this unique camera system is portable, one camera system enforces multiple locations. Public safety improves over a large geographic area.

And the system can be deployed very rapidly, usually within four hours to respond flexibly to different traffic conditions and enforcement needs and is suitable for virtually any street.

Portable Versus Fixed or Mobile Systems

Fixed installations generally require many months to put into place, and are generally used only in high-volume locations. Since the systems are so effective, they soon accomplish the goal of reducing speed. Since they are fixed in place at that location, and unable to be used to solve other problems, they are not available to reduce speeding at other locations.

Mobile, vehicle-mounted installations are of very limited utility, and usually involve parking a vehicle by the side of the road. Besides typically being able to enforce only one lane at a time, they require manpower to operate the systems.

Optotraffic's portable solution provides a state-of-the-art speed enforcement solution. Features include:

True lane-specific undetectable across-the-road speed sensing

Completely autonomous operations with no operator required

A whisper-quiet diesel generator to eliminate the need for power hook-up

Mast-mounted technology, allowing the system to "look over" multiple lanes to catch violators on all lanes of a multi-lane road.

For more information, visit http://www.optotraffic.com/ or email [email protected].