It has been reported that on Sunday morning, February 25, 2018, two people were killed in a car crash in East Whiteland Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Police reported that a driver was traveling the wrong way in the Southbound lanes of Route 202 and crashed his vehicle into another vehicle head on. The impact caused the second vehicle to flip over trapping the driver inside. Both drivers died from their injuries at the scene. Route 202 was shut down for seven hours.
Wrong-way crashes on divided highways and access ramps do not occur frequently, however, they are more likely to result in fatalities like this recent wrong-way crash in Chester County. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has reported that an average of 360 people are killed each year in the United States in wrong-way collisions. It was reported that from 2007 to 2011, Pennsylvania had the highest wrong-way crash fatalities of all the states.
Wrong-way car accidents are usually caused by impaired or confused drivers. The NTSB found that 60 percent of wrong-way drivers had alcohol in their system. Younger wrong-way drivers were more likely to be alcohol-impaired than older wrong-way drivers. Drivers 70 and older are more likely to be involved in a wrong-way collision than in a collision where they are driving the right direction.
Pennsylvania can minimize these fatal wrong-way accidents by installing wrong-way driving detection systems. When the system detects a wrong-way driver, it would notify the driver by flashing warning signs. It would also alert the police and activate overhead highway message boards to alert drivers of a wrong-way driver approaching. Rhode Island has installed several of these systems already and found them to be successful. Arizona just adopted a plan in 2017 to start installing the system.
These head-on collisions are deadly. Drivers should be aware of signs of potential wrong-way drivers from far ahead such as headlights coming at you or cars braking or swerving. Try avoiding the wrong-way car by safely moving over to the side of the road as soon as possible and come to a complete stop. Don’t become a wrong-way driver. Pay attention to traffic signs, lights, and pavement markers to make sure you are going in the right direction. Most importantly, do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
If you have been harmed or your loved one has been killed from a wrong-way collision, you should have an attorney investigate the crash immediately. See Automobile Accidents for more information and contact the attorneys at Washington & Washington to protect your rights.