When you see a wrong-way driver on a city street, there are many potential reasons. Maybe the driver just got confused. Maybe it is a young person without much experience or an older driver who is experiencing cognitive decline. Maybe the person is just lost and unfamiliar with the area.
But on the interstate, at 70 miles an hour, a wrong-way driver is much more dangerous. This is why the system is designed to prevent it. A driver would have to take entirely the wrong ramp to get on the interstate going the wrong direction, and they would have to drive past numerous signs informing them of their mistake. It is hard to do this accidentally, so why does it happen?
Drivers are impaired
More than anything else, these wrong-way drivers on the interstate are just impaired by various substances. Most of the time, they’ve been drinking alcohol. But there are also drivers who are impaired by recreational drugs, prescription medications or other things of this nature. The driver has taken something that is making it harder for them to make the correct judgment calls, and that is why they have made the mistake of driving the wrong way.
Additionally, impairment makes the safety systems less effective. There may be wrong-way signs at the bottom of the ramp, but an impaired driver may honestly never see them. They may not be able to read them or focus on them. The safety system doesn’t work because of the impairment, and this can lead to a serious car accident.
Have you been injured in an accident caused by a wrong-way driver? Be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.
