Bear Alert: New Tech Gives Road Workers Critical Seconds to Escape Speeding Cars

A new safety system for road workers has been tested in Baltimore after two tragic deaths in Maryland. Researchers at Morgan State University developed Bear Alert, a multisensory warning tool designed to protect crews from speeding drivers. The first real-world trial took place on Hillen Road near the university campus. The Bear Alert system combines lidar scanners, audible sirens, and wearable haptic devices to detect and respond to dangerous vehicles. When a car exceeds safe speeds or moves erratically, the technology triggers flashing solar-powered beacons and vibrations to alert workers. Over six weekdays of testing, it monitored 50,821 passing vehicles, with 288 travelling at 45 mph or faster.

Researchers estimate the alerts provide workers with roughly five seconds to react and move to safety. The system also gathers traffic data to help shape future safety measures and calming strategies. Morgan State has partnered with multiple organisations to refine and expand the technology, which is now under a provisional patent application.

The pilot deployment follows two fatal crashes involving Maryland road workers. If adopted more widely, Bear Alert could give crews critical extra time to avoid collisions. The university continues to analyse the data and explore further improvements.