Archive for July, 2018

How the Roads of Houston Can Be Made Safer By Wrong-Way Driving Prevention Measures

Houston auto accident attorneyTechnology is being used in many new and exciting ways to make the roads of America safer for drivers, passengers, and other road users. New vehicles are being equipped with crash avoidance technology such as lane drift alerts, lane assist technology, cross-traffic cameras, and other warning sensors.

Now, technology is being used to identify and alert wrong-way drivers in order to reduce the risk that they will cause a collision.

The Causes of Wrong-way Driving Accidents

Wrong-way driving is “first and foremost a driver behavior issue,” according to one official at the Arizona Department of Transportation who spoke with ITS International. This official also reported that more than two out of every three wrong-way driving accidents in Arizona are caused by impaired drivers.

Often, the driver’s blood alcohol content is twice the legal limit or more. This is a driving behavior that must be addressed independently. Luckily, the good work of powerful advocacy organizations and government traffic safety agencies has been effective at addressing the problem of impaired driving across America. This must continue if the number of wrong-way accidents caused by impaired drivers is to be effectively reduced.

Other driver behaviors can also lead to wrong-way accidents. Here in Houston, one driver intentionally traveled the wrong way while fleeing from the police. The Houston Chronicle reports that the driver had caused a rollover accident before fleeing from the scene and leading police on a high-speed pursuit. She drove the wrong way on Highway 59, where speeds reached 100 miles per hour. She was eventually stopped before anyone could be injured. This was an incredibly lucky outcome in a situation that “could have been so much worse,” according to the Patton Village police chief. The driver was arrested on charges of both DUI with a prior conviction and fleeing from police.

This bad situation could easily have caused injury or death to other drivers in the area. In addition to the initial decision to drink and drive, the driver also chose to further endanger the public by leading police on a wrong-way, high-speed pursuit. This is the kind of driving behavior that cannot go unpunished.

In addition to criminal charges and administrative consequences (such as fines, fees, or a driver’s license suspension), it is important that victims hold negligent drivers accountable for their conduct through the civil court process. This can consist of filing a personal injury claim with the driver’s insurance company or filing a civil lawsuit against the impaired driver. Both of these processes provide important financial consequences to deter dangerous driving behaviors in the future.

Our Houston auto accident attorneys know just how devastating a wrong-way accident can be. It is important that victims protect their right to be compensated for all injuries and losses incurred as the result of a wrong-way accident. It is also important to hold negligent drivers accountable for their dangerous conduct (even if they were not impaired) in order to prevent future injuries to other innocent victims.