Texas Injury Lawyers Blog
Wrong Way Drivers – Info and Stats on the Idiots that can Kill You
Drivers, some may call them idiots or drunks or other applicable names – who somehow manage to travel the wrong way on a restricted roadway such as a freeway represent a significant risk of catastrophic injuries or death to you, your family or friends.
While wrong way driving crashes are less frequent than other types or causes of auto accidents, these head-on collisions usually result in serious, life-altering injuries and deaths to all individuals involved.
Wrong way accidents, where individuals have entered the freeway improperly are more common than many people think. Did you know that there were 329 wrong-way crashes on Texas roads in 2011.
An analysis of police reports on wrong-way accidents by researchers at Texas A&M University provide some insight into the problem.
Wrong way crashes are five times more likely to happen in the pre-dawn hours, between midnight and 6 a.m., with the most common time being during the hour between 2:00 and 2:59 a.m., which just happens to be the same time most drunks are attempting to make it home.
Word to the wise – always try to avoid driving after midnight and before sunrise, but especially between 2 and 3 am.
About half of all wrong-way crashes resulted in either a death or an incapacitating injury.
That number is far higher than the proportion of other types of crashes. Nearly two-thirds of all wrong-way drivers that caused accidents were men, and more than 60 percent were found to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
Wrong-way driving at today’s highway speeds is an extremely dangerous and deadly problem.
And while Cities and States are attempting to design additional safeguards, alerts and warnings into new on-ramps and freeway entrances – the fact remains that these type of accidents can and will still occur. Thus, drive defensively and avoid certain times of the night, if possible.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident involving a wrong-way driver, take a moment and learn more about your rights. Call Carabin Shaw