Estonia brings Waze hazard alerts to highway message signs
Estonia has launched a new traffic information service that displays Waze hazard alerts on electronic message signs along state highways, extending real-time warnings beyond app users to the wider driving public.
Estonia has started showing Waze-sourced hazard alerts on variable message signs installed on major roads, in a move that connects crowdsourced traffic data directly with roadside infrastructure.
The system displays three types of warnings: objects on the road, stopped vehicles and accidents. When users report these events in Waze, the information is transmitted to the national traffic management system, which then generates a warning message for the nearest upstream sign. Drivers see the type of hazard, a warning symbol and the estimated distance to the location.
To keep messages relevant, Estonia limits these warnings to hazards located within 10 kilometres of the sign. The logic is straightforward: alerts need to reach drivers early enough to be useful, but not so early that they lose relevance before the driver reaches the area.
The system also weighs how many users have confirmed a reported incident in Waze. Those confirmations help authorities assess whether a hazard remains active and credible. On busier road sections, operators may still review and approve warnings during working hours, combining automation with human oversight.
In practical terms, the service gives Estonia a broader real-time warning network. Until now, Waze alerts mainly reached drivers using the app. By bringing the same data to roadside signs, Estonia expands the value of user-generated traffic information and strengthens its wider road safety system.
The project was developed with traffic management technology partners Traffest and SWARCO ITALIA. Estonia has worked with Waze for a decade, and officials say the platform has become a reliable supplementary source for traffic management decisions.
