If you see a wrong-way driver coming toward you, especially if you’re on the interstate, you may not have any time to react. It can happen very quickly and it’s completely unexpected since the driver should never be heading that way to begin with. One of the major safety features of the interstate, after all, is that traffic only moves in one direction.
At the same time, you may be perplexed as to why someone would be driving in the wrong direction in the first place. Did they take the wrong ramp? How did they miss the wrong-way signs? What could cause them to make such a significant driving error, and why wouldn’t they rectify it as quickly as possible?
The influence of alcohol and drugs
Generally speaking, the majority of wrong-way drivers are impaired. This impairment comes from alcohol in many cases, but it could also come from marijuana, prescription medications or other illegal drugs.
It is this impairment that causes the driver to make such an egregious error. It’s also the reason why they don’t realize their mistake quickly and rectify it. For instance, it’s understandable that a very young driver may get confused and make a wrong turn due to their inexperience. But they should fix this mistake as soon as possible, preferably before they cause a crash. If that driver is sober, they probably will, but an impaired driver may not even realize their mistake until they’ve already caused an accident.
Have you been injured in an accident caused by a negligent driver? If you have, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.