A new study by AAA reveals that deadly crashes due to wrong-way driving are increasing across the country.
The report compiled data from 2015 to 2018 and found that in those three years there were over 2,000 deaths attributed to wrong-way driving on a divided highway.
Researchers also found that drunk driving played a major role in these crashes. Six in ten wrong-way crashes involved an alcohol-impaired driver.
“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 National Transportation Safety Board 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.”