Wrong Way Wrecks Are Still A Problem

Brooks Schuelke

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Last month, I posted about the rash of wrong-way drivers on the Dalls Parkway. Unfortunately, it's still a problem. Just this weekend, eight people were killed in a wrong-way crash in New York.

At this point, those of us that are taken aback at the problem have written about it extensively, including:

• Wrong Way Drivers Cause 3% of US Fatalities
• Merchants of Interstate Death: Wrong Way Drivers
• Driver Safety: Wrong Way Drivers Not As Uncommon As You Think
• Wrong Way Drivers Causing Too Many Car Wrecks And Fatalities
• Interstate Highway Safety: Ghost Drivers Continue To Be A Problem
• Driving Safety: Wrong Way Accident Round Up

I've tried to find some tips describing ways that we might minimize the risk that we're hit by wrong-way drivers or (ghost drivers) without much luck. Perhaps the most important thing that drivers can do is to be aware that most of these accidents occur at night and involve drivers that are drunk or have been using drugs.

The best solution for these problems seems to be in the better design of roadways and signage. Fortunately, that's happening in some of the worst places. For example, the Dallas North Tollway is adding more "wrong way" and "do not enter" signs on roadways and putting more reflective material on the road to direct proper direction of traffic in an effort to minimize this problem.