A vehicle moving in the wrong direction on a highway can turn into a life-threatening emergency within seconds. Unlike many traffic accidents, wrong-way crashes can leave drivers with very little time to react because the danger comes from a vehicle approaching from the opposite direction. To address this threat, Arizona deployed thermal imaging technology, a system more commonly associated with detecting heat than monitoring traffic violations. Thermal cameras were put above the Interstate 17 ramps in Phoenix, forming a system aimed at the detection of wrong-way vehicles. According to the Federal Highway Administration’s ITS Deployment Evaluation program, Arizona’s pilot system detected 33 vehicles that had entered I-17 through off-ramps and frontage roads during its first six months of operation, allowing authorities to respond before crashes occurred.
A highway safety system built around early detection
