Advancing Highway Work Zone Safety: A Comprehensive Review of Sensor Technologies for Intrusion and Proximity Hazards

Highway work zones are critical areas where accidents frequently occur, often because of the proximity of workers to heavy machinery and ongoing traffic. With technological advancements in sensor technologies and the Internet of Things, promising solutions are emerging to address these safety concerns. This paper provides a systematic review of existing studies on the application of sensor technologies in enhancing highway work zone safety, particularly in preventing intrusion and proximity hazards. Following the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) protocol, the review examines a broad spectrum of publications on various sensor technologies, including GPS (global positioning system), radar, laser, infrared, radio-frequency identification, Bluetooth, ultrasonic, and infrared sensors, detailing their application in reducing intrusion and proximity incidents. The review also assesses these technologies in relation to their accuracy, range, power consumption, cost, and user-friendliness, with a specific emphasis on their suitability for highway work zones. The findings highlighted the potential of sensor technologies to significantly enhance work zone safety. As there are a wide range of sensor technologies to choose from, the review also revealed that the selection of sensors for a particular application needs careful consideration of pertinent factors. Finally, although sensor technologies offer promising solutions for enhancing highway work zone safety, their effective implementation requires comprehensive consideration of various factors beyond their technological capabilities, including developing integrated, cost-effective, user-friendly, and secure systems, and creating regulatory frameworks to support the rapid development of these technologies.