Why all the wrong way crashes in the Valley?
I am fascinated and terrified by the number of wrong way crashes here in the Valley. That just doesn’t happen every day in other places. This is not normal. That leads me to wonder, is it our highways, or our drivers or both.
Phoenix is a big city—5th largest in the US, in fact, so obviously the sheer volume of traffic comes into play here. However, if this problem exists on this level in much bigger cities I am not aware of it.
It is only barely into February and there have already been 3 wrong way crashes here in 2022. Deaths almost always result from wrong way crashes so it is a very serious problem.
According to azfamily.com, “Authorities acknowledge wrong-way drivers are a growing problem on our Valley freeways. According to DPS, 30 people were hurt in wrong-way crashes, and 22 died in 2021. In 2020, 19 people were injured, and 13 died. Of the wrong-way crashes, DPS said a majority of drivers are impaired.”
“So what’s being done about the wrong-way driver problem, and is it working? In 2018, the Arizona Department of Transportation launched a first-of-its-kind pilot detection system program along I-17. A total of 90 thermal cameras were installed at off-ramps, and after two years of analyzing data, ADOT learned it detected 250 wrong-way drivers. A majority of them turned around and corrected themselves.”
250 people entering high speed divided highways in just two years! Unbelievable! So lots of them were “impaired,” OK, but people drink and do drugs in other big cities too and they don’t get on freeways going the wrong way and kill themselves and others like they do here!
“ADOT plans to add more thermal cameras and expand the program as “funding becomes available.”
“The system on the 15-mile stretch of I-17 cost a total of $4 million. Dollar amounts for the additional 150 cameras installed in other parts of the Valley were not immediately available due to some of the costs included in individual improvement projects.”
Thermal cameras eh? I’d say that is a start but that isn’t working. Seems to me that better training about how to drive on divided highways is in order!
How many times do you see some slow poke blocking traffic in the left lanes? How often do you see folks enter an on ramp and not get up to highway speed to merge into traffic? I see it every day.
If people don’t know how to do other things correctly on divided highways then maybe they just aren’t being trained properly in driver’s education class? Is this what is contributing to these wrong way wrecks?
I wish I knew. I don’t have the answer, just the question. Millions of dollars spent on infra red cameras and some studies show the wrong way problem is only getting worse.
Over half of the wrong way crashes involve impairment, so that is a huge factor, but nearly half of those involved are NOT impaired! So why are they going the wrong way on our Valley highways?
Two thirds of these wrecks happen during nighttime hours. Almost all happen on high speed divided highways and not city streets.
A AAA spokesperson reported that researchers found the three biggest factors in wrong-way crashes were alcohol, age, and whether the driver was alone or had a passenger.
A lot more drivers over the age of 70 were involved in wrong-way crashes compared to other age groups, despite driving fewer miles on average. This increased with even older ages, and drivers over 80 were about 92% more likely to be wrong-way drivers than younger drivers. Phoenix has a lot more of us older retirees than other big cities. Who retires and moves to Chicago or New York City?
Teen drivers are notorious for getting involved in accidents, but data shows they’re the least likely age group to be wrong-way drivers. Apparently young drivers ARE being trained better to drive on divided highways.
If the wrong way driver has a passenger it seems that they often warn the driver and are a limiting factor in incidents.
According to us news.com, “A factor that makes someone less likely to drive in the wrong direction? Being from out of state.”
“That’s mostly because they’re not familiar with the roadways so they’re actually more alert,” Sgt. Jimmy Chavez, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Public Safety, said. “So you’re more likely to be a wrong-way driver if you hold a license in the state that you’re in.”
I would add that perhaps people from other states are possibly getting better driver training?
. . . . .
If you see a wrong way driver slow down, move to the right and get off the highway & call 911 and report it. Police are trained to respond quickly.
But, most importantly, get to the furthest right lane because wrong way drivers tend to drive on their far right side, like they are used to, which makes the left most and often HOV lanes where most wrecks occur.
My wife and I wondered about using spike strips and we were not alone in thinking of this. Again usnews.com says: “Another solution often brought up, spike strips, is considered ineffective for many reasons, including that they are designed for very slow speeds, break and are expensive to maintain, don’t deflate tires quickly enough, and cause problems for right-way drivers, according to a 2015 report from the Arizona Department of Transportation.” So much for that idea.
ADOT has added and lowered “Wrong Way” signs and “Do Not Enter” signs have been installed on hundreds of freeway ramps and overpasses in Phoenix and rural state highways. More and better signs are good. Infrared detection monitors are good. At least ADOT is aware of the problem and is trying to solve it.
Studies do show that Arizona has a higher instance of wrong way crashes, but in my humble opinion not enough is being done to prevent them. I think better driver education for older drivers is in order. Many older drivers, including me, started driving before divided highways were everywhere and perhaps weren’t trained properly on their usage?
What do you think? Write to mark@markhowerter.com
For more safety tips on preventing wrong way accidents see “Drive Aware Get There” https://azdot.gov/tags/drive-aware-get-there
