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The Today Show did an interesting story this week on the fatalities caused by wrong-way drivers across the nation. The most recent case happened a few weeks ago in Texas when a car going the wrong direction slammed into another car, killing the 18-year-old driver and her unborn child.
About 4,000 people nationwide have been killed in wrong-way crashes over the last 10 years and 1 in 5 wrong-way crashes are fatal, NBC reported. In many cases, the drivers are driving while intoxicated.
Experts are looking at ways to prevent wrong-way crashes, including changing signage, improving on-ramps for highways and interstates and putting sensors on the road that help detect wrong-way vehicles.
Florida was one of the states mentioned that has lowered the wrong way and do not enter signs so they are more visible to motorists.
Here are some tips to avoid wrong-way collisions:
- On multi-lane roads, drive in the right lane because most drivers going the wrong direction will be traveling in the left lane (thinking they are going the correct direction).
- When you are turning onto another road or entering a highway or interstate, be sure to check for signs or any indication that you may be going the wrong way.
- On one-way roads, be cautious of people entering from side streets, or especially from businesses. A driver leaving a business may not see the signs or it may not be clearly marked where they are pulling out.
- Try to not only watch traffic directly in front of you but look at a distance what might be coming your direction.
- Don’t drink and drive and keep others from drinking and driving whenever possible.
Watch the NBC news investigation video.
At Bernardo Injury Law, we know how serious accidents can impact so many lives. If we can help you, contact us at (239) 332-3000 or toll free at 888-428-8943, email us at gethelp@injuryinfo.org. You can learn more on our website at injuryinfo.org.