An overview of wrong-way driving

While any accident on a South Carolina roadway can be serious, head-on collisions can be some of the most devastating accidents. One of the most familiar settings for a head-on collision is a two-lane highway, where visual obstructions can lead to poor decisions about passing a slow vehicle. However, wrong-way driving on divided highways or on freeways can also be a major problem.

Wrong-way car accidents can be severe on divided roads because the situation is uncommon and often unanticipated. In fact, only 3 percent of auto accidents involve this type of scenario. On an undivided highway, a motorist may be prepared to react if there is an oncoming vehicle in their lane, but when this driving activity is not expected, responses may be difficult or delayed. Fatality rates in wrong-way accidents on divided roadways exceed those of other accidents by up to 27 times in some states.

One of the most common influences in a wrong-way accident on divided roads is alcohol, an issue that has been explored by the National Transportation Safety Board over many decades. Toxicology information can be helpful in examining the connection further. Additionally, medical problems can lead to driving errors that cause head-on collisions on divided highways. Toxicology reports may identify the involvement of prescription drugs in such situations, but medical episodes or conditions could also lead to confusion that might cause a driver to err in using an exit ramp to enter a divided highway.

A wrong-way driver could cause the deaths of other drivers and passengers, making the contributing factors in such an accident an important consideration for the survivors of any decedents. Wrongful death claims may be appropriate if a driver caused such an accident while under the influence of drugs, alcohol or narcotic pain medications. Evidence of a driver’s negligent actions might include toxicology reports that detail any controlled or illegal substances in that individual’s bloodstream.