Wrong way drivers cause more serious and fatal motor vehicle accidents than most may realize here in Indiana and Illinois. Consider the following recent examples of wrong way crashes in our part of the country (this is not a complete list):
- Around 5:30 p.m. in the afternoon of December 5, 2021, two sedans were involved in a wrong-way head-on accident on an East St. Louis Interstate leaving one dead and two seriously injured. Read, “Wrong-way driver dies in head-on crash in St. Clair County, Illinois,” written by Monica Ryan and published by FOX-2 Now on December 5, 2021.
- On November 13, 2021, a sedan and a semi-truck were involved in a wrong-way collision on Indiana’s Interstate 70 with the sedan’s driver suffering severe injuries in the crash. Read, “Wrong-way driver on I-70 causes crash, leaves 1 seriously injured,” written by Jacey Crawford and published by WISH-TV on November 13, 2021.
- Shortly after midnight on Monday, October 11, 2021, two sedans were involved in a deadly wrong-way crash on Indiana’s Interstate 65 near Crothersville. For details read, “Wrong-Way Crash Kills 3, Injures 1 on Indiana Highway,” written by the Associated Press and published by US News on October 11, 2021.
- At around three o’clock on a Sunday morning in September, a sedan and an SUV crashed head-on on Interstate-55 in a wrong-way accident with both drivers perishing from their injuries. Read, “2 Killed in Fiery Wrong-Way Crash on I-55 Near Countryside,” published by NBC-Chicago on September 26, 2021.
- Earlier that same month, two sedans collided in a head-on wrong-way driver crash on Illinois’ Interstate 80 resulting in three tragic deaths. Read “3 Chicago-area residents die in wrong-way crash on Interstate 80 near Wolf Road,” written by Sun-Times Wire and published by the Chicago Sun Times on September 6, 2021.
What is a Wrong Way Accident?
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) defines a “wrong way crash” as “one in which a vehicle traveling in a direction opposing the legal flow of traffic on a high–speed divided highway or access ramp collides with a vehicle traveling on the same roadway in the proper direction.” These are very serious accidents involving head-on impact or the force of a sideswipe (also known as a “T-Bone” crash).
- For more on sideswipe accidents, read: Side-Impact Crashes: Fatal T-Bone Accidents and Sideswipes Involving Semi-Trucks and Other Motor Vehicles.
Wrong–way driving crashes involve high–speed head–on or opposite direction sideswipe crashes, which tend to be more severe than other types of crashes.
Of some import in considering how often wrong way collisions occur is the FHWA’s limitation of its definition to controlled–access highways and associated ramps. The FHWA researchers do not include wrong-way accidents on roads where one vehicle crosses over the road’s median crossover within its wrong-way driving statistics.
This means research consideration of wrong-way driving dangers may be under-identified in this country.
In March 2021, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released its latest study on wrong-way driving crashes on divided highways across the country, warning that these types of fatal crashes increased 34% each year from 2010 to 2014.
Explains the Executive Director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Dr. David Yang:
“Wrong-way crashes on divided highways are often fatal as they are typically head-on collisions. And unfortunately, as the data shows, fatalities from these crashes are on the rise.”
For more, read “AAA and NTSB Warn of Climbing Rate of Fatal Wrong-Way Crashes,” written by Andrew Gross and published by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety on March 23, 2021.
Increased Risk of a Fatal Wrong-Way Accident
The AAA Foundation study found three factors appear to increase the likelihood of a deadly wrong-way driving accident:
- Driving while impaired (DUI);
- Driving alone (without a passenger); and
- Drivers over the age of 70 years.
The most common reason for wrong-way driving? According to the AAA study, 60% of fatal wrong-way accidents involve an impaired driver who is operating a motor vehicle while driving drunk.
“Alcohol impairment is, by far, the single most significant factor in the majority of wrong-way driving crashes, which unfortunately has not changed since the NTSB issued its Wrong-Way Driving special investigation report in 2012.
“The important work done by AAA shows that we need to redouble our efforts to address this safety hazard. We know that interventions like ignition interlock devices for all offenders and high-visibility enforcement operations will reduce these types of devastating crashes.”
Justice for Victims of Wrong Way Drivers in Illinois and Indiana
Of great importance to reducing the risk of fatal wrong-way driving accidents in Indiana and Illinois is to reduce the number of drivers who are choosing to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle after ingesting anything that may impair their ability to drive. This includes alcoholic beverages as well as prescription drugs, Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications, and recreational marijuana.
For more on impaired driving accidents, read:
- December 2021 Proclaimed National Impaired Driving Prevention Month
- New Federal Rule to Combat Impaired Truck Drivers By Forcing States to Pull Trucker’s CDL or CLP
- Serious Illinois Car Crashes and Marijuana Impaired Drivers
- Impaired Driving in Indiana and Illinois: It’s More than Driving Drunk.
For those who are victims of a wrong-way driving accident, the state laws of Illinois and Indiana may offer avenues for justice to the victim and his or her loved ones. These may be based upon negligence, wrongful death and/or workers’ compensation laws as well as liability for third parties in the particular situation.
Any party responsible for blocking street signs from view (such as failure to trim shrubbery, to clear road hazards, or to remove road debris) may share legal responsibility for a wrong-way fatality. It is also important in drunk-driving wrong-way crashes to investigate the possibility that those serving alcoholic beverages may be legally responsible for the consequences.
For more, read:
- Drunk Driving Accident: Who’s Legally Liable? Answer is Different for Indiana and Illinois
- Liable for Drunk Driving Accidents in Indiana and Illinois: Social Party Hosts, Bars, Restaurants.
Wrong way drivers endanger their own lives as well as the lives of their passengers and others on the road. Some of the most horrific accident scenes are those involving high-speed wrong way accidents. Please be careful out there!
