Wrong-way accidents may not necessarily be common, but they are incredibly dangerous. Some studies note that they are among the most severe accidents when looking at injuries to the occupants of those vehicles. Head-on collisions are always dangerous, and wrong-way accidents are unexpected, which just notches that danger up to another level.
Of course, this type of accident should never happen. In theory, no one should ever be driving the wrong direction down a one-way city street or down a multi-lane interstate. But this does happen, it does lead to injuries, and it does lead to fatalities. So why do these accidents occur and how can you avoid them?
Urban areas
First of all, one study discovered that roughly 84% of these accidents happened in urban areas. This suggests that city streets may be more confusing and it could lead to mistakes. But this could also simply be the product of cities having more one-way streets, whereas rural areas tend to use two-way roads.
Dark conditions
The study also found that these accidents happened more often when it was dark. Some of the reason for this could be the reduced disability, which may mean that someone didn’t see a sign telling them not to enter the street in that direction. But there is a more probable explanation, which will be explored below.
Alcohol use
As you may have guessed, perhaps the main reason for a wrong-way accident is just alcohol use. This is more common at night. When a driver is impaired, here she will make mistakes that the same driver would not make when sober. Alcohol use was found in roughly 60% of the cases that were studied. Additionally, the use of illegal drugs or even some prescription medications could cause the same type of mental confusion.
What are your options?
If you get hit by a wrong-way driver, it’s doubtful that there will be anything you can do to avoid it because it’s impossible to predict and difficult to see coming. As such, it’s very important to understand how to seek financial compensation. This may help to cover your medical bills, rehabilitation costs, lost wages and much more.