After another fatal crash in Fort Worth, here’s how to protect yourself against wrong-way drivers
Sunday morning’s fatal wrong-way Loop 820 crash in Fort Worth is just the latest instance of wrong-way driving in Texas.
A family of four died in that crash when their car traveled the wrong way on Loop 820 and hit a pickup truck head-on, according to police. A woman in the pickup also was killed, and her fiancé was hospitalized.
Texas is the state with the largest number of wrong way driving fatalities, according to a 2021 AAA study. The odds of being a wrong-way driver increased with the consumption of alcohol, older age and driving without a passenger, AAA said.
The Texas Department of Transportation has been testing out wrong-way driving countermeasures for nearly a decade, such as reflective pavement arrows, LED wrong-way flashing signs, new signs with reflective tape that are lower to the ground, radar detection models, high-definition traffic cameras and thermal sensors utilizing artificial intelligence to reduce false alarms. TxDOT said those countermeasures helped more than 90% of wrong-way drivers in Fort Worth self-correct their actions before getting on highways.
Even the most vigilant drivers can be faced with this issue. Knowing the safest way to handle an oncoming vehicle could save your life. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests practicing the habit of always scanning what’s 10 to 15 seconds ahead so you have time to react.
Here are other helpful tips that can save you and your passenger’s lives.
What to do if you’re faced with a wrong-way driver
Besides always thinking ahead while behind the wheel, drivers can also make logical decisions that lower the chances of a wrong-way collision. Here are tips from accident and injury lawyers at Shiner Law Group:
Keep to the right lane (especially at night), rather than the left. Wrong way drivers will perceive your right line as their left, in which they are more likely to drive in, traffic experts say.
Report the spotted danger immediately. The Texas Highway Helpline (the TxDOT Emergency number for situations that require immediate assistance) is 800-558-9368, but you can also always dial 911.
Keep your eyes high, looking as far down the road as you possibly can.
If a wrong-way driver is coming directly at you, reduce your speed, but do not slam on your brakes.
Steer right to avoid wrong way drivers (as far off as you possibly can without going off the road).
Turn to your side if you don’t have time to move out of the way. Impact to the side of your car is far better than a head on collision.
What penalties do wrong-way drivers face?
Texans who drive on the wrong side of the road could face fines of up to $200.
Under Texas Transportation Code section 545.051, a driver should stay on the right side of the roadway unless:
The driver is passing another vehicle.
An obstruction necessitates moving the vehicle left of the center of the roadway.
The driver is on a roadway divided into three lanes of traffic.
The driver is on a roadway restricted to one-way traffic.
Service Team reporter Brayden Garcia contributed to this report.