COLUMBUS – Fatal wrong-way driving crashes are rare, but a new data analysis from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds they are happening more frequently. Researchers also found the odds of being a wrong-way driver increases with alcohol-impairment, older age and driving without a passenger.

“Wrong-way crashes on divided highways are often fatal as they are typically head-on collisions,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “And unfortunately, as the data shows, fatalities from these crashes are on the rise.”

The Data:

AAA Foundation researchers examined the number of fatal wrong-way crashes and the number of people killed using data from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). They found:

  • Between 2010 and 2014, an average of 375 people died every year from wrong-way crashes on divided highways in the U.S.
  • That number jumped 34% between 2015 and 2018, when an average of 500 people died each year from these wrong-way crashes.

Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) data shows wrong-way crashes and fatalities are also increasing on Ohio’s roads.

  • Between 2010 and 2014, a total of 268 wrong-way crashes occurred on Ohio’s divided highways, resulting in 124 fatalities and serious injuries.
  • Between 2015 and 2018, a total of 297 wrong-way crashes occurred on Ohio’s divided highways, resulting in 146 fatalities and serious injuries.
  • Last year alone, 82 wrong-way crashes occurred on Ohio’s divided highways, resulting in 50 fatalities and serious injuries.

While these wrong-way crashes make up less than 0.02% of all crashes in the state of Ohio, they are 40 times more likely to result in deaths.

Preventing Wrong-Way Crashes:

AAA works with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and other traffic safety organizations to educate drivers on the deadly impact of wrong-way driving.  In light of these latest research findings, AAA and the NTSB are urging state transportation agencies to adopt driver-based countermeasures that address these factors.

In Ohio, ODOT is working to prevent these wrong-way crashes by:

  • Placing wrong-way signs lower on the poles, because research has shown that impaired drivers tend to look down instead of up.
  • Installing directional arrows on the ramp pavement to indicate the traveled direction.
  • Testing wrong-way driver detection systems. In 2019, ODOT installed the first wrong-way detection system along a 19-mile stretch of I-71 in Hamilton County. They also have detectors on two ramps: I-670 westbound to Neil Ave. in Columbus and westbound SR-2 to West 28th St. in Cleveland. These devices have stopped wrong-way drivers.

Addressing the Top Causes of Wrong-way Driving:

Researchers examined eight factors related to these types of crashes, and three stood out – alcohol-impairment, older age and driving without a passenger.

Alcohol: Nationally, six in 10 wrong-way crashes involved an alcohol-impaired driver. Those with blood alcohol concentrations over the legal limit of 0.08 grams per deciliter were significantly more likely to be wrong-way drivers than non-alcohol-impaired drivers involved in the same crashes. In Ohio, ODOT reports 41% of wrong-way crashes involved alcohol during the past 10 years.

Impairment is on the NTSB’s MOST WANTED LIST of transportation safety Improvements which is the agency’s premier advocacy tool. The list identifies the top safety improvements that can prevent crashes, minimize injuries, and save lives. Impairment in transportation is not limited to just alcohol; it also includes impairment by other drugs—legal or illicit.

“Alcohol impairment is, by far, the single most significant factor in the majority of wrong-way driving crashes, which unfortunately has not changed since the NTSB issued its Wrong-Way Driving special investigation report in 2012,” said NTSB Director of the Office of Highway Safety, Dr. Rob Molloy. “The important work done by AAA shows that we need to redouble our efforts to address this safety hazard. We know that interventions like ignition interlock devices for all offenders and high-visibility enforcement operations will reduce these types of devastating crashes.”

Age: The data also shows that drivers over age 70 are more at risk of wrong-way driving than their younger counterparts. Previous Foundation research from the AAA Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) project found that older drivers aged 75-79 spent less time on the road and drove fewer miles per trip than younger age groups.  And yet, this same age group is over-represented in wrong-way crashes.

Driving Alone: A passenger’s presence may offer some protection against being a wrong-way driver, as nearly 87% of wrong-way drivers were alone nationally. In Ohio, ODOT data shows in 88% of the wrong-way driving crashes during the past 10 years, the driver was alone. Passengers may alert drivers that they are entering a one-way road, preventing them from entering the highway in the wrong direction, or alerting them to their error, helping the driver take corrective action before a crash occurs.

AAA and the NTSB remind drivers to use common sense before getting behind the wheel.

  • If you are driving, don’t drink. If you are drinking, don’t drive. If you consume marijuana or alcohol or use potentially impairing prescription medications, then don’t drive.
  • Stay alert. Stop driving if you become sleepy because you could fall asleep at any time. Fatigue impacts reaction time and judgment, causing people who are very tired to behave in similar ways to those who are drunk.

About the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a nonprofit, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by researching their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research develops educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users.

About AAA: AAA provides more than 61 million members with travel-, insurance-, financial- and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited online at AAA.com.

About the NTSB: The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged with determining the probable cause of transportation accidents, promoting transportation safety, and assisting victims of transportation accidents and their families.