In the last few weeks, two serious wrong-way crashes in Missouri have claimed the lives of several people. The first one happened on Highway 65, near the intersection of James River Freeway in Springfield, Missouri early on the morning of March 17, 2014. The wrong-way driver was traveling in a yellow GMC Canyon pick-up. Other drivers reported the wrong-way driver and state troopers attempted to divert the vehicle, which swerved around them before colliding with two other vehicles, seriously injuring the driver of one of the vehicles that he impacted in a head-on crash. The driver of the wrong-way vehicle was killed.
The second accident occurred on March 25, 2014 in the middle of the day, when an 82-year-old woman drove the wrong way on Missouri Highway 21 in Jefferson County. The woman crashed into a vehicle driven by a recent police academy graduate who was about to start work as a sheriff’s deputy in Jefferson County. Both drivers were killed.
These two tragic accidents demonstrate the dangers of wrong-way drivers. There are many different reasons why a wrong-way accident happens. Drivers who get behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol often are the cause of wrong-way accidents, which usually involve head-on or offset collisions that cause serious damage to both vehicles and severe harm to the occupants. In addition, elderly drivers who have become confused by the highway signs and entered a divided roadway going in the wrong direction also cause many wrong-way crashes. According to the new story in the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Missouri Highway Patrol Trooper Al Northum stated that there are many reports of senior drivers who ended up going the wrong way because of a mistake.
A wrong-way collision occurs any time one of the drivers is traveling in the lane of oncoming traffic, regardless of whether it is being on the wrong side of a divided highway or crossing into oncoming traffic to pass another vehicle traveling in the same direction. These accidents lead to severe injuries because of the high rate of speed with which the two vehicles are approaching each other. Even when one of the drivers attempts to swerve out of the way, the offset frontal crash can lead to extensive damage. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around 45% of fatal traffic events are the result of frontal crashes. Approximately 350 people are killed each year in wrong-way collisions, according to the Fatal Accident Reporting System (FARS) maintained by the NHTSA. Although the two recent accidents in Missouri happened during daylight hours, most wrong-way crashes happen at night, due to the fact that there is an increased chance of drunk drivers being on the road and the darkness contributes to the confusion experienced by some drivers.
There are times when the signs leading onto the highway contribute to the highway contribute to the likelihood of a wrong-way accident, especially if there is construction on the road and the entrance ramp has been moved or made smaller during the road work. Sharp turns and confusing entrances to the cloverleaf that leads to the highway may propel a driver onto the wrong side of the roadway. Based on traffic conditions, he may not be able to get out of the way before a crash has happened. Regardless of the reason for the wrong-way crash, the resulting harm suffered by the victims usually is horrific.
A serious accident can leave you or a loved one with devastating medical consequences. The injuries may require years of extensive treatment and rehabilitation. If a loved one has died as a result of the accident, coping with the emotional and financial impact can be debilitating. The compassionate and experienced Missouri Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. will work with you to take over some of the burden so that you can focus on recovery. To schedule a consultation so that we can learn about what happened to you, please call us at (877) 535-1163.
