News reports about car crashes caused by wrong-way driving in the United States can be disturbing. Consider the following wrong-way car crashes:
- March 27, 2022: A 22-year-old woman drove southbound on the northbound lane near 28th street in Grand Rapids, The vehicle crashed head-on into a northbound Volkswagen driven by a 21-year-old woman. A tanker truck traveling behind the Volkswagen side swept the two. The 21-year-old woman expired at the hospital, while the wrong-way driver was in critical condition. The truck driver was unharmed.
- June 27, 2022: A 55-year-old man was driving eastbound on the westbound lane of I-94 near Clear Lake Road, east of Jackson, Mississippi. The Ford passenger car of the wrong-way driver crashed head-on into a westbound Chevy SUV driven by a 27-year-old woman. A semi-truck tailing the Chevy also collided with the Chevy. The wrong-way driver expired on site, while the 27-year-old woman suffered injuries. The driver of the semi-truck was unharmed.
- December 5, 2021: A driver headed east on a westbound lane of M-59 near Mound Road crashed head-on into a Chevrolet and died, while the other driver suffered injuries.
What Is Wrong-Way Driving?
Wrong-way driving occurs when a vehicle moves against the proper flow of vehicle movement. These scenarios are likely to occur:
- Driving the wrong way on a one-way road
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
- Encroaching into the opposite lane of travel after crossing the meridian
- Entering an exit ramp
- Making a U-turn on the main line
- Hastily maneuvering on the main line after missing the exit ramp
Logic dictates that you should not go against what is right. A wrong way of driving is not an exception. It can cause loss of life, limbs, property, and economic opportunity.
What Causes Wrong-Way Driving?
A study by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) analyzed 1,566 wrong-way fatal collisions from 2004 – 2009. Nearly 60% of the drivers were taking drugs or alcohol, and 78% of the crashes were under dark conditions.
The same study revealed the ages of wrong-way drivers. Most of them were between 20 – 50 years old. However, there were 2.5 times more wrong-way drivers for ages 70 – 80 and almost 30 times more for ages above 80.
Distracted driving, such as texting or talking over the cell phone, plays a significant part in any vehicular accident. Failing to pay attention or utter disregard for road signs will most likely lead to a fatal mishap. Unfamiliarity with the area, especially an entrance and exit ramp, may cause wrong-way driving.
The Perils of Wrong Way Driving
The issue of wrong way driving lies in the severity of the injuries caused. Although they occur at less frequent intervals, most wrong way driving accidents are head-on collisions. In addition, most crashes happen in the lane closest to the meridian.
The Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center reported 371 wrong way car crashes for the year ended 2020. 10 (3%) of the crashes were fatal, 119 (32%) resulted in serious physical injuries, and 242 (65%) brought irreparable damage to properties.
What To Do If A Car Is Going The Wrong Way
The general rule of thumb is do not drink and drive. Even if you stay in the right lane, your reflexes will be impaired when a vehicle approaches your car head-on from the opposite direction.
Here are some tips on how to evade fatal wrong-way crashes:
- Remove yourself quickly and safely from the dangerous lane when you spot a wrong-way driver headed towards your direction.
- Keep a wide-horizontal vision while keeping an eye on your line. Be alert for any abnormal movements around you.
- Avoid the left lane or the fast lane as much as possible. Most wrong-way drivers will drive in your left lane, thinking it is their right lane.
- Keep your headlights on when it is dark. It will signal the other driver that he is going in the wrong direction.
- Avoid distractions, even for just a second, while driving. A delay in reaction time can be fatal.
If You Are a Victim Of A Wrong-Way Car Accident, Contact The Clark Law Office
If you or your loved one are victims of a wrong-way car accident, keep calm and know that you are not alone. The compassionate and experienced car accident lawyers at The Clark Law Office will help you win your injury case. For over 30 years, we have recovered millions of dollars for our clients.
Our personal injury lawyers in Lansing and Okemos, Michigan will go the extra mile in proving someone else’s gross negligence. We will collect all hard evidence and documents related to your case: witnesses’ statements, police report, photographic evidence, surveillance camera footage, medical records, medical certificate, and other pertinent documents and information. We will also tap insurance companies to grant you the highest compensation for your plan.
Call us for a free consultation at (517)-347-6900 or email info@theclarklawoffice.com. You are not obliged to pay until you win your injury cases.
Sources:
- https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2022/03/wrong-way-crash-kills-21-year-old-grand-rapids-woman-police-say.html
- https://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/2022/06/1-killed-in-wrong-way-head-on-crash-on-i-94-in-jackson-county.html
- https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/msp/cjic/pdfs9/2020_year_end_traffic_crash_statistics.pdf?rev=4348f6d6236442c4bcd9b2307d574c4a
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/road-traffic-injuries
- https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SIR1201.pdf
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/294559353_Where_these_drivers_went_wrong
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324729194_Wrong-way_driving_crashes_A_random-parameters_ordered_probit_analysis_of_injury_severity
- https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/macomb/2021/12/06/5-car-collision-late-sunday-kills-wrong-way-driver-injures/8890500002/
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