It is late at night and you are almost home. You put on your turn signal and prepare to exit the highway. Suddenly, as you make your way onto the exit ramp, you see a car coming toward you. In a state of confusion, you think, is this driver really heading at me on an off ramp? Before you can wrap your head around what is happening, they slam into you. Somehow, you make it out alive, but not without sustaining serious injuries. So, what do you do? You contact the skilled team of professional trial lawyers at Bowles & Verna, serving San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, and Oakland, CA.
Auto accidents and wrong way driving are unthinkable to many of us, but these accidents do happen. Most often, they take place at night when a driver mistakenly enters an exit ramp. Sadly, as far as auto accidents go, wrong way driving crashes are as bad as it gets. When two large vehicles collide at high speeds, the end result is usually tragic. About one person dies each day in a wrong way driving accident, on average.
Why Do Wrong Way Accidents Happen?
Because wrong way driving accidents are somewhat rare, they only account for a fraction of accident fatalities. However, wrong way accidents are far more likely to result in serious or fatal injury than other types of accidents. This is because of the nature of the accident – typically, two vehicles collide head-on at a high rate of speed. Why does this happen?
- Drunk drivers: Alcohol affects your ability to see and comprehend the road signs you are looking at. It is the leading cause of wrong way accidents, playing a contributing role more than two-thirds of the time.
- Drug-impaired drivers: Legal and illegal drugs can severely impact a driver’s motor skills. Medications with side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, and blurred vision can play a big role.
- Older drivers: Motorists over the age of 70 are far likelier than younger drivers to wind up in a wrong way accident.
- Distracted drivers: As is the case in any accident, distracted driving can be deadly. This can include activities such as talking on the phone, conversing with passengers, and adjusting the volume on the radio.
- Poor signage: Signs that read Do Not Enter and One Way should be placed optimally to catch a driver’s attention. Supplemental signs serve as a useful reminder.
- Poor ramp design: Drivers expect exits to be on their right, not on their left. Left hand exit ramps sometimes confuse drivers.
- Poor visibility: It is difficult, especially at night, to see in fog or heavy rain. If a driver cannot see very far ahead, they may wind up entering an off ramp.
Contact Us to Find Out How Our Team Can Help
If you wound up injured in a wrong way driving accident, contact our team of successful professional trial lawyers at Bowles & Verna. We will work tirelessly to secure fair compensation for you by examining your case from all angles. To learn more, contact us online or call (925) 935-3300 today.