511 Alberta launches Canada's citizen reporting app for highway conditions

If you've ever had to navigate a sketchy stretch of highway in the dead of winter, then you know the value of being able to read an up-to-date road report before you hit the road.

511 Alberta is hoping to drastically improve its highway reports by allowing RCMP and the public to update traffic, weather and visibility on provincial highways through a mobile app.

"We all play a part in keeping Alberta's winter roads safe," said Alberta Transportation Minister Brian Mason in a release on Wednesday.

"By allowing citizens to report on our province's ever-changing road conditions we can help drivers make safe and better informed travel decisions that keep Albertans moving all year long," said Mason.

Before,511 was updatedby road maintenance contractors once a day, typicallybefore 7 a.m.,and then only againif there was a significant change in road conditions.

• Calgary road rage incident sees 2-on-1 fight in middle of traffic
• MORE ALBERTA NEWS |American Jason Kenney fields Twitter scorn directed at Canadian Jason Kenney

The Citizen Reporter is the first government-runmobile app in Canadathat allows drivers update road conditions.

Those who sign up have to take atutorial andan online test to become registered and "capable" of reporting highway conditions,saysPatrickFitzhenry, manager of 511 Alberta operations.

"I'm a great believer in the principle that you don't have to be certified to competent but you must be competent to be certified."

Distracted driving considered

"The last thing we want is for people to pull over on the side on the road to update conditions. Andwe certainly don't want them to use the phone while they're driving," said Fitzhenry.

To comply with distracted driving legislation, the apphas a feature built into it that givesdriversa two-hour window to report traffic conditions.

"Whether it's work, home or maybe Tim Hortons on the way they can just pull out their app and update the conditions and indicate the time in which those conditions were observed."