Global Alert Network’s Alert Mobile App Gives Drivers Valuable Information Without Touching Their Cell Phone First App to Directly Address Driver Safety
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – April 12, 2011 – Kansas City residents can now access the latest local traffic and weather updates without ever touching their mobile phones with this first-ever hands-free audio alert application by Global Alert Network (GAN).
Global Alert Network provides free and automatic, hands-free audio alerts and information updates to a user’s mobile phone. The application, which is currently available on Android and BlackBerry devices, initiates automatically – much like a ringtone – and plays the alert without the need for the consumer to interact with his or her mobile phone. Alerts are geo-targeted to the user’s location ensuring timely, accurate information about traffic conditions, weather, or other future services to which the user subscribes.
“Global Alert Network’s highly personalized hands-free audio alerts push incredibly relevant, necessary and potentially life saving information in a way that cuts through to the driver without distracting them,” said Scott Hughes, President of Global Alert Network. “We look forward to working closely with Kansas City Scout to increase driver safety while allowing them access to important information without having to physically engage with their mobile phones on the road.”
Alerts currently available in Kansas City include traffic, weather and certain local emergency information such as Amber alerts. The Company plans to expand its content channels to include sports and news as well.
Mr. Hughes continued, “Too many drivers today are preoccupied by their mobile devices, which leads to a devastating number of accidents. According to a study by the National Safety Council, 1.4 million crashes annually are caused by cell phone conversations and 200,000 are blamed on text messaging. GAN values and promotes driver safety by reducing driver distraction and that was top of mind when designing this application.”
Global Alert Network will work closely with Kansas City Scout, Kansas City’s bi-state traffic management system. The Kansas and Missouri Departments of Transportation designed Scout to increase driver safety by decreasing the number of rush-hour accidents and improving emergency responses to traffic situations. Scout will promote the Global Alert Network app on their website (www.kcscout.net) as well as through their social media channels including Twitter..
“At Scout we are committed to promoting driver safety to Kansas City residents and creating awareness of local traffic issues; a mission that is consistent with the efforts of Global Alert Network to provide people with relevant information while keeping safety top of mind,” said E. Jason Sims, Traffic Center Manager at Kansas City Scout. “We are excited to work closely with GAN to spread the word about an app that will make the everyday local commute a much easier and safer experience.”
Traffic, weather and emergency notifications are the channels that are currently available on the Global Alert Network platform. The Company plans to expand its content channels to include entertainment, sports and news.
Global Alert Network is free to download and is currently available on Blackberry and Android devices through AppWorld and Android Market.
For more information visit: http://mediakit.globalalertnetwork.com.
About Global Alert Network
Global Alert Network (http://www.globalalertnetwork.com/) is a national mobile platform that provides safe, automatic, hands-free audio alerts to a user’s mobile phone. The app, which is free to download, senses when the user is driving and initiates automatically. Global Alert Network (GAN) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Global Traffic Network, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNET), a leading provider of custom traffic and news reports to radio and television stations.
CONTACTS:
Anne Donohoe / Samantha Wolf
(212) 896-1261 / (212) 896-1220
adonohoe@kcsa.com / swolf@kcsa.com