Ski and snowboard resorts throughout the United States continue to see an uptick in visitors as more enthusiasts and vacationers partake in these cold-weather activities. Across the country, ski areas have had four consecutive seasons of increased skier visits, reports the Colorado Sun. For the 2022-23 season, historic snowfall across the western region drew nearly 65 million visitors to the slopes and resorts, an all-time high.
An influx of visitors to any town, but in particular to ski towns during the high season, can lead to a variety of roadway issues and safety concerns. These often range from increased traffic congestion on main routes, distracted driving, driving under the influence, and speed infractions that put pedestrians and other motorists at high risk for injury and death.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), speeding has been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities for more than two decades. Reducing the number of speeding motorists during the tourist season offers ski towns three major benefits.
1. Better Manage the Tourist Influx
Recovery and growth in the tourism industry continue to increase post-pandemic with domestic travel numbers on a strong incline. When your ski town is in peak season, it’s essential for the safety of your residents, as well as all visitors, to have a management plan for the tourist influx. Speed control on your roadways is critical to better manage the increasing numbers.
Speed awareness products, like the Kustom VMS messaging trailer, not only remind drivers of the speed limit but can provide important information to tourists, such as road closures, weather warnings, etc. Additionally, any speed data collected from speed displays can help law enforcement determine areas that may need increased safety measures.
2. Help Decrease Vehicle Speeds to Reduce Accidents
The most current data from the National Safety Council reports that speeding kills, on average, more than 33 people daily.
Tourist seasons typically mean not only more motorists on the roads but more pedestrians as well. A speeding driver has less time to react to any situation, whether it’s an unexpected pedestrian or animal in the crosswalk or a patch of ice. It takes longer to stop when speeding as well. A speed display naturally triggers a response in a driver to slow down, but beyond that, it creates awareness and that can help reduce accidents and injuries.
3. Reduce the Need for Additional Hiring of Officers
Speed displays and trailers don’t require additional personnel to handle the crowd. Law enforcement agencies in ski towns can focus on other areas for dispatch, letting the speed displays and traffic data collection products help mitigate the issues created by an increase in tourist vehicles.
Speed Awareness Products from Kustom Signals
Let Kustom Signals help your law enforcement agency improve safety through speed awareness in your busy ski town.
Speed Displays. A tool to save lives is what you’re looking at with the PMDs from Kustom Signals. Pole mounted speed displays have proven to help reduce speeding and improve community relations. The PMD 12 is our portable unit that’s easy to relocate and features reliable power for up to seven days. The PMD 18 includes an 18-character display and optional configuration for a red LED ‘Slow Down’ overspeed violator alert.
Speed Trailers. SMART Speed Trailers are the ideal tool for increasing speed awareness and improving road safety. Easy to deploy, we offer three products to work for your needs and budget. Along with our Kustom Directional K-band RADAR, the SMART 12 offers a 12-inch, high-intensity, amber LED display and optional traffic statistics with SMARTstat™ software. The SMART 18 features an 18-inch display as well as high/low speed blanking, wireless configuration, and optional SMARTstat™ software. The SMART 18 HP+ comes with the SMARTstat™ software.
Messaging Trailers. Look to the VMS I, VMS II HT, and the VMS III for high-performance, easy mobility, and the latest in traffic data recording technology. Not only do messaging trailers make it convenient and easy to make motorists aware of their speed, but they’re ideal for various community relations, from traffic and weather alerts to helping funnel crowds to event venues and resorts.
Traffic Data Collection. The Stealth Stat II, a covert traffic data collector, helps your law enforcement agency collect and analyze with ease the essential traffic data needed to identify speed issues without the community.
To learn more about any of our Kustom Signals speed awareness products, please contact us today and we can answer any questions.