Press Release: Decatur Electronics Teams With Sanner Safety Initiatives To Promote School Zone Safety

April 05, 2006

Decatur Electronics Teams With Sanner Safety Initiatives To Promote School Zone Safety

DECATUR, IL - Decatur Electronics and Sanner Safety Initiatives have teamed up to improve child pedestrian safety and adherence to school speed zones in the creation of the Speed Stopper safety package. The package was unveiled at the National School Board Association Expo in Chicago April 8-11, 2006.

Sanner Safety Initiatives developed the Speed Stopper, a safety package for collecting speed data and monitoring and influencing traffic in school zones. The unit consists of a SpeedSpy�, an OnSite 200� Dolly and the EZ Stat Pak� software.

SpeedSpy is a covert tool that can be mounted on roadside poles, allowing school districts to collect data on traffic speed and flow. After monitoring data, the SpeedSpy may be replaced with the OnSite 200. The portable dolly's large LED display flashes speed alerts to influence driver activity. Both systems are compatible with the EZ Stat data software, which can be used to collect data and to produce easy-to-read reports in a Windows format.

"We are proud to bring this combination of speed safety products to educators around the country," said Greg Roberts, national sales manager for Decatur Electronics. "Our young people are the future in America and too many of them are in danger due to speeding motorists."

The Safe Kids USA study showed more than two-thirds of all vehicles monitored in school speed zones traveled faster than the posted speed limit. Almost one quarter (23%) of those vehicles were 10 mph over, while nearly 33% traveled 30 mph or more above the limit and another 6.6% traveled at 40 mph or more over the limit.

"These alarming statistics indicate our children at risk in what should be a safe area, a school speed zone," Roberts said. "The Speed Stopper gives schools the resources they need to influence drivers and slow traffic down."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding is a factor in one-tenth of all pedestrian-related traffic fatalities among children. Studies find children are eight times more likely to die if hit by a vehicle traveling only 30 mph. The National SafeKids Campaign recommends enforcement speed limits can be a significant factor in reducing accidents and fatalities. Increasing driver awareness of speed enforcement and putting greater emphasis on child pedestrian safety will reduce this problem and create more walkable communities.

Decatur has served the public safety sector for more than 50 years and was the first manufacturer of law enforcement radars. It also manufactures speed measurement equipment for sports, industrial applications and OEM products for ompanies including Harley-Davidson�, Polaris� and Jugs� as well as the Gemini� line of in-car digital and digital tape video systems and the OnSite� line of radar and message trailers.

The company is headquartered in Decatur, IL. It also operates an engineering technology facility in Ft. Collins, CO, and a high-tech vehicle outfitting division, ThunderWorks Mobile Engineering in Santee, CA.

For more information, see Decatur Electronic's website at www.decaturradar.com or call 800.428.4315.