[VIDEO] Washington DOT Uses Robo Flaggers to Keep Workers Safe

New flagging technology is designed to remove flaggers from traffic, keeping workers safe from distracted driving

Highway workers do exceptional work and bring a wealth of experience maintaining our nation's roadways – often alongside high-speed traffic. This is why companies are continually looking for new ways to use technology to reduce their risk. That’s where automated flagger assistance devices (AFAD’s) come in, often referred to as robo flaggers.

Robo flaggers are portable flagging devices with a crossing arm that drops down to block traffic when the lane is closed. Robo flaggers are often more visible than human flaggers and travelers tend to see a robo flagger from a greater distance away, especially when it’s raining or foggy. Most importantly, if a person driving through a work zone doesn’t see the robo flagger, the equipment takes the hit rather than our highway worker.

Read Next: Flagging Technology Removes Flaggers from Traffic

Rules of a Robo Flagger

• Please follow the directions of the robo flagger as you would a human flagger. It’s there to keep you and others safe in the work zone

• Stay behind the stop sign when the lights are red and the control arm is down

• Proceed only when the arm goes up AND the sign changes from STOP to SLOW. We’ll get you moving again, just as soon as it is safe to do so

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