BOWIE, Md. — Bowie Police want to remind drivers to slow down and obey stop signs as the new school year begins in Prince George's County.
The police department just launched a one-month demonstration program featuring stop sign cameras at key intersections in the city. For the next month, stop sign cameras will be operational at two or more of the following intersections:
- Kenhill Drive at Belair Drive
- Belair Drive at Stonybrook Drive
- Mt Oak Road at Ann Arbor Lane
- Fred Robinson Way and Evergreen Parkway
- Pointer Ridge Drive and Parkington Lane
- Pin Oak Parkway and Peachtree Lane
Captain Robert Liberati met WUSA 9's Jess Arnold at Kenhill and Belair to see first hand how the technology works.
"It's giving us an opportunity to look at some technology to help with traffic safety. These stop sign cameras what they do is they collect data from people who are running stop signs," Captain Liberati said. "They also will display to the driver when they are running stop signs, so it enforces driver behavior."
He said the sign will display a message like "unsafe stop" or "incomplete stop" when the camera catches a driver not coming to a complete stop.
The company Obvio, Inc. developed the technology to try to help after hearing stories from friends and family.
"We were driving on our roads, and we noticed that people just felt unsafe. Whether you were talking to parents who were taking their kids to school, my grandparents as they were walking down the street, they just said people were skipping stop signs in a way that just felt different," Co-founder Dhruv Maheshwari said.
The high-resolution cameras have real-time monitoring capabilities to capture and record stop sign violations.
According to a Governor's Highway Safety Association report, Maryland saw 161 pedestrian-related crash fatalities in 2023.
"A lot of technology today are just speed radars...but what we realized is a lot of time when people actually get hit, it's due to a lot of other unsafe behaviors, like people skipping stop signs, people using their cellphones while they drive, making illegal left turns, and what we realized is there wasn't really a camera or technology that was getting that wide range of behaviors," Maheshwari said.
This device is powered by AI and as it detects unsafe behaviors and gives immediate feedback to drivers via the digital sign that is attached. It's also solar-powered, so it can be installed anywhere that's needed.
Tickets will not be issued during the demonstration period. The objective is to reduce stop sign violations, gather data on effectiveness and get feedback from neighbors.
"What this is for us is giving us an opportunity to look at a tool to see if it would fit in for our enforcement," said Captain Robert Liberati. "Our citizens have told us about issues with traffic, specifically people running stop signs, speeding, etc."
Public feedback will be essential in evaluating the initiative's success and considering its future implementation, the police department said.
Lisa Cho lives near Kenhill and Belair Drives and saw police and WUSA 9 talking near the monitor, so she walked over to share her thoughts on the intersection and surrounding roads.
"[I've seen] people driving way too fast, people not stopping. They think that the stop sign is just a suggestion, or they do one of those one-second stops or they'll yield and they'll turn. But, it's crazy." Cho said.
She has a student in elementary school and walks 10 miles a day herself, so she is always very mindful of the traffic.
"I welcome it," Cho said, referring to this stop sign camera. "I think we also need more of the speed cameras...Belair and Kenhill very heavy traffic areas, don't have one."
Clyde Lehman, Jr. also hopped off his bicycle to share his two cents.
"Belair Drive -- I call it Belair Speedway," Lehman said. "In particular, I've seen them pass on the double lines...and just a lot of very dangerous I think, and they don't care about anyone else, basically."
He's had a lot of close calls riding both his bicycle and motorcycle throughout Bowie.
Just the other day, he said a woman almost knocked him right off his bike, because she was on her cell phone.
"I think it's a great idea, you know, make them stop, give them a $100 ticket every time at least. Make them pay for it, and if they don't pay for it, take their license away," Lehman said. "They just have to get stricter with the punishment."
Again, right now Bowie Police do not have plans to issue tickets but will re-evaluate after the one-month demonstration period.
Those who wish to provide feedback can do so on the police department's website, or by contacting the department's non-emergency response number at 240-544-5700.