Wrong-Way Driving In Florida
Have you ever been driving down the road when another vehicle speeds toward you head on? If not, consider yourself lucky. Wrong-way driving has become a major issue in many areas of the country, including Florida. Even though they are not as common as other types of crashes, such as rear-end accidents, they are more likely to cause catastrophic injuries and even fatalities.
The good news is that Florida is taking some steps to help prevent these major accidents. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is exploring various ways to keep wrong-way driving accidents from occurring. One of them is the Wrong-Way Driving (WWD) Initiative.
FDOT’s Wrong-Way Driving (WWD) Initiative
Research conducted by FDOT focused on addressing the factors that were considered to affect the occurrence of wrong-way driving incidents: impaired drivers, older drivers (those over the age of 65), and tourists. The FDOT was given guidance to proactively deploy countermeasures at all the off-ramps in Florida.
The FDOT installs the minimum required “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs and pavement markings. FDOT evaluated several countermeasures from the research projects and found the LED highlighted “Wrong Way” sign to be one of the most effective. This sign is part of a Wrong-Way Driving Alert System designed to:
- Detect when vehicles are traveling in the wrong direction.
- Activate the lights on the sign to notify the driver.
- Send an immediate alert to officials.
- Broadcast an alert on electronic message boards to alert drivers.
Many people assume spike strips at freeway off-ramps would be a good solution to stop wrong-way drivers, but they come with some downsides. They do not always work as intended. may not deflate tires quickly enough. Plus, they can break and affect the tires of those traveling in the correct direction. Plus, dirt and debris can accumulate and cause malfunctions. Law enforcement officials and emergency crews sometimes use off-ramps to respond to emergencies quicker and would not be able to do so if spike strips were present.
What Should a Wrong-Way Driver Do?
A driver must do the following if they approach a “Wrong Way” sign:
- Stop immediately.
- Pull over to the side of the road.
- Turn around when it is safe to do so.
The sooner a driver takes action, the sooner they can avoid a crash.
If a driver encounters a wrong-way driver or sees an alert regarding a wrong-way driver, they should do the following:
- Reduce speed.
- Pull over.
- Call 911 to report the wrong-way driver.
Contact Us Today
Wrong-way driving is a serious issue in Florida and other states. It’s good that the state is taking steps to crack down on it, but it still happens and those on the road can be seriously injured or even killed.
The Kissimmee auto accident lawyers at Draper Law Office can help you after a crash. We’ll guide you through the process so you get full and fair compensation. Schedule a free consultation by filling out the online form or calling (407) 743-6628.
Source:
fdot.gov/traffic/teo-divisions.shtm/cav-ml-stamp/Wrong-Way-driving
