6 Ways Technology is Making Our Communities Safer

We live in the Age of Technology. As computers become faster, machines become more efficient, information flows more freely, and technology becomes more prevalent in everyday life. In addition to adding these many conveniences to our lives, technology plays a key role in keeping us safe. Whether it's helping police departments track down criminals or preventing an automobile accident, technology has countless applications in public safety.

Taking a look at 6 ways technology is working to keep us safer in cities around the United States brings to light the fact that the impact has, and continues to be profound. And that there really is no going back.

1 - Smarter Transportation in Boston

As the city of Boston continues to grow, there's been a substantial need for public transportation outside of the city center. As a result, the city developed the Go Boston 2030 plan intended to bring public transportation to all of Boston's neighborhoods. Rail system expansions, restructured bus routes, and bicycle and car sharing programs are just some of the project's top goals. The plan also proposes the use of autonomous vehicles. While currently in the testing phase, the use of autonomous vehicles is expected to eliminate up to 90% of crashes, reduce traffic congestion, and provide better access to citizens with limited transit options.

2 - Better Outdoor Lighting in Chicago

Poor street lighting can cause significant problems for cities. A study by the University of Chicago Crime Lab New York found that adequate street lighting reduced nighttime index crimes by 39%, reduced nighttime felony crimes by 30%, and reduced assault, homicide, and weapons crimes by 12%.

To improve public safety and reduce crime rates, the city of Chicago developed the Chicago Smart Lighting Project. This initiative replaces the city's High Pressure Sodium (HPS) street lights with new, more efficient LED lighting. The new lights last longer, use less energy, provide clearer visibility, and can automatically notify maintenance crews of outages via a remote monitoring and control system.

Find out how technology can help you crack down on crime

3 - Easier Parking in Los Angeles

American drivers waste 17 hours each year searching for parking spaces, and nearly a third have gotten into fights over parking spaces between 2016 and 2017. In densely populated cities like Los Angeles and New York, searching for a parking space is a time-consuming and dangerous process.

LA parking

This is why Los Angeles launched the LA Express Park service in May 2012, allowing citizens to search for available parking via their smartphone. The service also dynamically adjusts prices based on demand as a way of encouraging drivers to use alternate modes of transportation. This led to increased use of public transportation, lower traffic congestion, and less air pollution due to car exhaust.

4 - Mobile Device Connectivity

With 77% of Americans owning a smartphone, cities are finding new ways to connect with their residents. One initiative gaining popularity in the US is the ability to contact emergency services via text message, known as text-to-911. Vermont, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Iowa, and Connecticut all have already implemented statewide text-to-911, allowing residents to request help in situations where a voice call may be difficult, impossible, or dangerous.

New Jersey also provides an app that citizens can use to share anonymous crime tips. The app, called STOPit, allows users to report tips and communicate with detectives without providing their name, phone number, or even the device's IP address. In doing so, the app removes the fear users may have of retaliation from criminals.

5 - Locating People via Wearable Devices

GPS has been around for over 40 years, but only recently have GPS devices gotten small enough to fit on our bodies. Wearable devices like watches and fitness trackers combine GPS technology with internet

track of their children from their smartphones. Similar

connectivity to allow for constant location tracking. This is especially common in GPS-enabled watches for kids, helping parents keep personal safety devices allow users to immediately broadcast their location to emergency services in case of a severe injury or immediate danger.

6 - Data Analytics

The devices that drive technological developments generate one very important byproduct: data. This data contains immeasurable information about the environment and public safety. And with advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), passing this data through automated systems results in faster, more accurate predictions than those provided by human analysts.

For example, data plays a crucial role in helping police track criminal activity. Data helps officers and investigators determine where crimes are likely to happen, where to place patrols, and how evidence all fit together. Using AI enables law enforcement to continuously generate intelligence with a high level of accuracy, stop crime and make communities safer.

Conclusion

We know it to be true, technology is changing rapidly, and its presence and impact on our everyday lives continues to be transformative. While many technological developments have made our lives more convenient (which is undoubtedly amazing for all of us), many have also made them significantly safer.Most certainly, as these developments continue, we'll continue to see ways that technology improves the safety of our communities in ways that we cannot even imagine. Time and technology will tell all though, that’s for sure.