Seattle Car Accident Lawyer Blog

A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study reveals that about 3% of fatal motor vehicle accidents are caused by wrong way drivers.

Over the past year, we have seen our share of wrong way car accidents in and around Seattle and throughout Washington State including:

• An accident this past weekend near Richland in which a wrong way driver killed himself as well as the driver and passenger in a car he collided with.
• A June accident in which a 28-year-old Bothell woman drove the wrong way in Everett and killed two young people and seriously injured two others.
• A June accident in which an elderly woman drove her car the wrong way on State Route 3 near Gorst and was killed.
• A September accident in Pasco in which a Kennewick woman drove the wrong way on Highway 397 and killed a 35-year-old Kennewick man.
• A November accident in Garden City in which a 25-year-old Boise man drove his Lincoln Town Car the wrong way and killed three people and critically injured 1.
• A January accident in which a wrong way driver on Interstate 90 on Mercer Island hit a Sound Transit bus.
• A March accident in which a 29-year-old Oregon woman was killed when she drove her car the wrong way on Highway 14 near Vancouver, Washington; Two people were seriously injured in this accident.
• A March accident in which a 24-year-old Orting man was killed when he drove his car the wrong way on Interstate 5 in Lakewood.
• An October accident in which a 31-year-old Federal Way drove his vehicle the wrong way on Highway 509 in Burien and was killed after he abandoned his vehicle.

The common denominator in many wrong way accidents is alcohol. The drunken driver is so impaired that she or he drives up an off-ramp to a freeway or the wrong way on a major street and collides with another vehicle. In fact, in nearly 75% of fatal wrong-way motor vehicle accidents, the wrong way driver is impaired with alcohol or drugs.

Another factor in wrong way crashes is elderly or confused drivers.

Research has shown that certain types of highway ramps and interchanges have a greater number of wrong-way accidents. In both the case of drunken drivers or elderly drivers, remedial measures could be taken by enhancing "Do not enter" and "Wrong way" signs at freeway entrances and making signs highly reflective.

This information is provided by Seattle Car accident Lawyer blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents caused by drunken drivers and the family of those killed. And are committed to insuring that accident victims and their families receive civil justice.