Waze driving app launches new tool to help drivers during winter weather

The driving app, Waze, has launched a new feature for drivers to report plowed and unplowed roads during winter weather.

Drivers can now report unplowed roads in real-time and the app will inform drivers when they are approaching a road that was reported to be unplowed.

The launch comes after the company worked directly with the Virginia Department of Transportation.

“One of the primary reasons we created the Waze for Cities Data program was to provide public agencies with data and insights to reduce traffic and improve the safety of their roadways,” said Dani Simons, Head of Public Sector Partnerships at Waze. “Our work with the Virginia Department of Transportation on the development of the ‘Unplowed Road’ feature perfectly exemplifies what can be accomplished when we collaborate with public sector partners to meet community needs.”

VDOT says it plans to monitor the reports coming in from Waze users this winter and determine how they can use the data in their operations for the following winter.

“At VDOT, our people are constantly exploring innovations and new technologies with the ultimate goal of providing the best service to the residents of the Commonwealth and all those who travel our roads,” said VDOT Chief Deputy Commissioner Rob Cary. “Many use crowdsourcing in their daily lives. We wanted to explore this method of information gathering to help improve safety and better assess the conditions of our roads during winter weather. We value our partnership with Waze, and look forward to monitoring the real-time reports on road conditions and determining how best to incorporate the data into our future operations.”

The feature can be found in the app under “Hazards -> Weather -> Unplowed Road”.

To learn more about the app, click

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