How Do I Avoid a Wrong-Way Car Accident?
July 26, 2016
Avoiding a Wrong-Way Car Accident
In 2015, Florida had close to 2,000 wrong-way car accidents. Car accidents can happen suddenly at times when you are least expecting them. One type of accident is the wrong-way car accident. Although most people attribute wrong-way car accidents to driving under the influence, there are many other factors that play into this scenario.
Improved Roads and Bridges
One way to reduce the possibility of wrong-way driving is to update the transportation infrastructure. Roads, bridges, and freeways can be engineered and constructed in such a way that drivers have a maximum understanding of what lies ahead. Dividers between lanes of opposite flowing traffic helps to reduce the number of cars that cross the line and can potentially crash into oncoming traffic.
Other ways to update the infrastructure to support less wrong-way car accidents include adding more street lights, removing roadside barriers or distractions that block sign visibility. Reported by the U.S. FHA, most wrong-way car accidents occur at night. A lack of visibility due to lighting can cause drivers to accidentally turn into an oncoming lane.
Updated Traffic Signs
Signs have been developed to warn traffic entering the wrong lane. The sign flashes brightly with messaging that attempts to redirect the driver to the correct lane. This upcoming technology is not yet existent in all areas, and is currently only being tested in a few major Florida cities.
Don’t Sleep and Drive
One of the major accident and fatality causes are drivers that are too tired to drive. Sleepiness can come on quickly for some drivers, so its important that the driver does not drive when this feeling comes on. Driving while almost falling asleep can lead to extreme crashes and sometimes death. It may be hard to determine if you are awake enough to drive, so it’s important that you pull over if you can’t stay within the lanes and can’t keep your eyes open. If possible, travel with passengers on long trips to have a backup in case you’re too tired to get behind the wheel.
Elder Drivers
Florida driver’s are majorly an older demographic, so there are some things to watch up for while driving on Florida roads. Elderly people can have brain deseases that arrive during older ages, such as the brain-affecting disease known as Dementia. This can cause erratic driving and many other safety issues on the road. If you have a family member, or are taking care of an elder that drives, make sure to consistently check their ability to drive. With Dementia, for example, a driver should probably not be on the road behind the wheel of a motor vehicle.
Wrong-Way Car Accident Lawyers
Jodat Law Group is your wrong-way car accident lawyer serving Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Clearwater, Tampa, and surrounding Florida locations. Contact us today for your free consultation by clicking here to fill out this form. Who’s that? JODAT.
