All types of motor vehicle accidents are dangerous. However, one type of accident is particularly damaging: wrong way car accidents.
These accidents pose a serious risk to drivers and passengers because they typically involve head-on collisions at high speeds. Wrong way crashes can cause serious, lifelong injuries or sadly, result in the death of a loved one.
At Golitko & Daly in Indianapolis, IN, we can review your case and determine if you are entitled to receive damages. We represent clients in accident cases involving personal and commercial vehicles.
Causes of Wrong Way Car Accidents
More often than not, alcohol plays a role in wrong way car accidents. In fact, according to the National Transportation Safety Board, 69 percent of fatal wrong way car accidents involve alcohol.
In addition, a number of other circumstances may lead to a wrong way collision, including:
- Drug Use: A common contributing factor, drug use often plays a role in wrong way driving accidents. This refers not only to illegal drugs, but also prescription drugs that may cause drowsiness and other side effects.
- Distracted Driving: A common cause of all types of accidents, distracted driving includes texting, talking on the phone, playing with the stereo, grooming, eating, and any other habits that take your attention off the road.
- Poor Visibility: In foggy, rainy, and snowy weather, visibility is low. Drivers with poor vision may struggle to interpret signs and mistakenly enter an exit ramp.
- Lack of Signs: In more rural areas, clearly marked signs are sometimes absent. The driver may be left to assume which ramp is the entrance ramp.
Facts about Wrong Way Motor Vehicle Accidents
According to Federal Highway Administration data, wrong-way collisions account for about 3 percent of crashes on high-speed divided highways.
Here are some other facts about wrong way driving:
- On average, about 360 fatalities occur in wrong way accidents each year.
- Drivers over the age of 70 are involved in these accidents more frequently than younger drivers.
- Most wrong way accidents happen after dark, often between the hours of midnight and 3am.
- The primary origin in wrong way collisions is typically a driver entering an exit ramp.
- The majority (57 percent) of wrong way accidents occur during the weekend, in part due to a greater number of drunk drivers occupying the road.
Contact a Wrong Way Car Accident Attorney
If you or someone you love suffered an injury in a wrong way car accident, you or your loved one may be entitled to receive compensation to cover medical costs, pain and suffering, and other damages.
The motor vehicle accident attorneys at Golitko & Daly will review your case to find out if you should seek compensation. Contact us online or call (317) 566-9600 today to schedule a time to have one of our attorneys review your case.