Injuries and Fatalities from Wrong-Way Drivers in Delaware
Wrong-way crashes are rare, but often deadly. Our experienced car accident attorneys in Seaford, Wilmington, and Newark fight for compensation to cover the costs of medical care, lost income, and other relevant damages for our clients who have been injured in car accidents and other types of accidents. Our team at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman serves clients throughout Delaware.
If you have ever been driving down the road and suddenly saw a vehicle coming towards you heading in the wrong direction, it likely filled you with panic. In a wrong-way traffic crash, a vehicle is driving in the opposite direction of the flow of traffic and crashes into a vehicle traveling on that road in the proper direction of travel.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reports that wrong-way crashes kill 300 to 400 people each year in the United States, which represents only about one percent of the total number of traffic fatalities. However, because wrong-way crashes often involve head-on crashes or opposite-direction sideswipe crashes at high speeds, wrong-way crashes tend to be far more severe than other types of traffic crashes. So, wrong-way crashes are relatively rare, but when they do occur they are often deadly.
The following are a few recent wrong-way crashes that have occurred on Delaware roadways and have had serious injuries and fatalities.
- There was a fatal wrong-way crash in February on northbound DE Rt. 141 north of Boxwood Road that involved three vehicles and caused the road to be closed for hours for an investigation.
- A wrong-way driver caused a crash as it was traveling east on a westbound lane of DE Rt. 2 (Capitol Trail) while speeding. There were two serious injuries because of the crash. Alcohol use on the part of the wrong-way driver is being considered as a factor in the crash.
- In Milford, Delaware, a man was killed in a wrong-way crash on northbound Rt. 1 after a reckless driver failed to stop at a stop sign. The car careened off the road, spun around and returned to Rte. 1 where it proceeded to travel south in the northbound lanes and crash into a vehicle killing its driver, who was wearing a seat belt. The reckless driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Drivers sometimes end-up heading in the wrong direction of travel when they enter a highway on an exit ramp rather than an entrance ramp. Per a story in The Boston Globe, drivers who cause wrong-way crashes are more likely to not be properly licensed than drivers in other types of accidents, and alcohol was more than twice as likely to be a factor in wrong-way crashes than in other deadly crashes.
At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, our trusted auto accident lawyers in Newark, Wilmington, and Seaford are strong advocates for you when you have been hurt due to another driver’s negligence. You are welcome to call 302-888-2900 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Delaware car accident attorney today.
Related:
- The Dangers of Head-on Collisions in Delaware
- Catastrophic Injuries and Death in Traffic Accidents
- What Should I Look for in a Delaware Car Accident Lawyer?
Attorney Jeffrey S. Friedman joined Silverman, McDonald & Friedman in 2001. He graduated from Widener University School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in several Federal Circuit courts. He areas of concentration include auto accident and workers’ compensation cases. Read more about Attorney Friedman here.