Wrong Way!
Drivers going the wrong way on our roads and highways is a serious problem across the country and we have had a number of deadly crashes in Arizona the past few weeks and years. It is difficult to find verifiable statistics of how many wrong way incidents take place, but I have seen reports of three per day that are reported to law enforcement in Arizona, which would be well over 1,000 per year.
Fortunately, most people quickly realize they are going the wrong way and are able to correct the situation without incident. For those that are unaware they are going the wrong way, the results can be catastrophic.
These crashes usually happen during late night/early morning hours and often the driver is impaired. The forces in these crashes are doubled when two cars are headed towards each other and when these crashes occur at freeway speeds, they are often deadly.
When driving on the freeway during these hours, avoid using the carpool or left lanes because it appears to be the right lane for the driver going the wrong way. Many of the wrong way collisions occur in the left lanes.
Other suggestions for avoiding wrong way collisions are:
- Scan the roadway ahead across all lanes, stay alert, and avoid distractions
- Exercise greater caution on weekend nights when people are more likely to drive impaired
- If you spot a wrong way driver or a warning sign indicates one may be ahead, move to the right and reduce your speed.
- If you see a wrong way driver. Stop safely and report it to the police.
ACNSC offers defensive driving classes weekly for ticket dismissal, business fleet driver training, or possible insurance discounts. For more information, please visit our website.
Ed Taube, Safety Trainer, Arizona Chapter National Safety Council