Wrong Way Car Accidents: How Do They Happen?

Every so often there will be a traffic alert or a news report about a wrong way driver, one who is traveling in the wrong direction on a road or highway.

While it may be hard to understand how a driver could make such a fundamental mistake, the fact is that hundreds of drivers are injured and killed each year because of wrong way drivers.

If you have been the victim of an auto accident caused by a wrong way driver, a Colorado Springs car accident lawyer can help you recover damages for your personal injuries, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Reasons for Wrong Way Driving

Here are just a few of the reasons wrong way driving could happen:

• Road construction: Sometimes it seems like the nation’s highways are just one unending construction zone. Roadways that are undergoing construction use static signs and cones and sometimes flashing arrows to direct drivers. These signs can be confusing, especially if the driver is unfamiliar with the lay of the land, driving at night, or has some impairment.

• Driving Under the Influence: Many wrong way accidents involve a driver that is intoxicated with alcohol or drugs. Anytime someone drives under the influence of an intoxicating substance, their reaction and overall road awareness is impaired. It’s not difficult to see how a DUI driver could make a mistake like driving the wrong way.
• Distracted driving: Distracted driving is a national epidemic, especially since the advent of sophisticate sound systems, in-car navigation systems, handheld devices like cell phones, and other technologies. Distracted driving also can happen if a driver is paying too much attention to passengers or just not focused on their primary obligation, which is driving. When a driver is distracted, he or she is not paying attention to the roadway, making it easy to miss detour and other road signs. The end result could be a wrong way driver who puts everyone on the roadway in danger.
• Inexperience: Inexperienced drivers might misread or misunderstand road signs, especially if it is dark, if the weather is bad, or if there is unusual activity on the roadway such as road construction or flashing lights.
• Health emergencies: Sometimes a driver will experience a medical emergency, such as a seizure, stroke, or heart attack while operating a motor vehicle. This could cause them to become confused or behave in unpredictable ways or even lose control of their vehicle altogether. Any of these scenarios could result in a wrong way driving situation.
• Drowsy driving: Driving while not fully alert and awake is extremely dangerous and can contribute to wrong way accidents. Like other forms of distracted or impaired driving, when a driver is drowsy, he or she can easily miss or misinterpret road signs and enter a roadway the wrong way.

How a Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer Can Help

If you are injured in a car accident that was caused by a wrong way driver, you may be entitled to recover damages for your physical and emotional injuries, pain and suffering, lost wages, and out of pocket medical and related expenses.

Contact a Colorado Springs car accident lawyer at Levine Law for a free consultation concerning your case either online or by phone at (719) 471-3000.