
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 23, 1990                   TAG: 9007230310
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A/7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: GORDON WILLIS SR.
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SMART ROADS

IN THE EARLY morning hours of June 6, the driver of an empty tanker-truck lost control of his vehicle on Interstate 81 in Montgomery County. In the seconds that followed, the tanker crossed the median, became airborne and struck a tractor-trailer head-on. Three men died, and the highway was closed for almost two hours.

Authorities suspect the driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing what has been described by State Police and Department of Transportation officials as one of the worst accidents they had ever seen.

In 1988 - the most recent year for which statistics are available - nearly 2,000 drivers in Virginia were involved in accidents linked to their possibly falling asleep at the wheel. Many of these, as well as the June 6 accident, could have been prevented by technology either available now or currently being developed.

A device on the market today fits behind the driver's ears and emits an alarm if his or her head nods past a certain angle. More advanced technology will link the vehicle to a "smart road," which senses when a lane or median has been crossed and sounds an alarm. In its ultimate application, the technology will provide automatic control of the vehicle to mitigate, or even avoid, an accident.

Other areas of similar research, according to Virginia Tech's Center for Transportation Research, include a radar-like system for vehicles which will warn the driver - and take action, if necessary - when a collision is imminent, and an interactive system which will advise drivers of changing road conditions.

These are just a few examples of the technology which can save lives, reduce injuries and avoid billions of dollars in accident-related costs: property damage, insurance, legal fees, medical bills, and so forth.

We in Southwest Virginia have the opportunity to be in the forefront of "smart road" technology. A proposal is before Congress for a grant to conduct research into the Intelligent Vehicle-Highway System technology along the proposed highway linking Virginia Tech and I-81.

The research itself would have a positive impact on the economy of the region and on Virginia Tech's status as a leading research institution, and it would focus attention on the region as a high-technology center.

The benefits of the research and technology are clear, and Congress would be well-served to allocate funds to this important project.

by CNB