Wrong-way driving
Wrong-way driving (WWD), also known as contraflow driving, is the act of driving a motor vehicle against the direction of traffic. It can occur on either one- or two-way roads, as well as in parking lots and parking garages, and may be due to driver inattention or impairment, or because of insufficient or confusing road markings or signage,[1] or a driver from a right-hand traffic country being unaccustomed to driving in a left-hand traffic country and vice versa. People intentionally drive in the wrong direction because they missed an exit, for thrill-seeking, or as a shortcut.[2]
Wrong-way driving is particularly dangerous on a divided highway, especially a freeway; the higher speeds typical of such roads mean that wrong-way driving very often leads to a head-on collision.[3] It is also evidenced by a number of videos that have been posted on the Internet showing the exact moment of wrong-way driving and subsequent head-on collisions.[4] In the United States, about 355 people are killed each year in crashes caused by drivers headed in the wrong direction on the highway.[5][6] Given an average of 265 fatal WWD crashes, 1.34 fatalities per WWD fatal crash can be calculated. The significance of this kind of crash is corroborated when this number is compared to the fatalities per fatal crash rate of 1.10 for all other crash types, which translates to 24 more fatalities per 100 fatal crashes for WWD crashes than for fatal crashes in general.[7] Most drivers who enter a divided highway or ramp in the wrong direction correct themselves by turning around.[6]
Efforts to reduce wrong-way driving
[edit]One of the aims of highway engineering is to reduce wrong-way driving.[1]
United States
[edit]National Transportation Safety Board's Highway Special Investigation Report
[edit]The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has published a special investigation report about wrong-way driving, in which relevant safety countermeasures to prevent wrong-way collisions on high-speed, divided highways are identified. One important part of this report is Section 4 which provides recommendations for different agencies, including Federal Highway Administration and NHTSA, to address wrong-way collisions.[citation needed]
New Zealand
[edit]The Auckland Motorway Alliance has its own concept of reduce wrong-way driving, in which the traffic signals modification replaces the solid round green light with a green arrow in places where a turn is banned. As a result, this allows the removal of signs banning turns, reducing clutter. In march 2018, the Auckland Motorway Alliance won the New Zealand's 3M Traffic Safety Innovation Award for 2018.[8][9]
Warnings
[edit]In 2010, an advanced driver-assistance system was introduced to prevent wrong-way driving.[10][11]
In 2010, Nissan developed a GPS-enabled warning system to alert drivers travelling in the wrong direction on motorways. The first application is the Nissan Fuga hybrid luxury sedan. The system, uses GPS positioning data, map data and vehicle speed data to determine if the vehicle is travelling against the flow of traffic. The system identifies an area for determining the normal direction of flow, such as around junctions. When the vehicle passes through that area, the system records its direction of travel. If the vehicle enters that area again and the system determines that it's driving in the opposite direction it provides audible and visual warnings.[10]
In 2011, Toyota introduced Wrong-Way Driving Alert incorporated into navigation systems (only in Japan).[12] Gives on-screen and voice alerts to wrong-way drivers. The function monitors vehicle direction on highways and selected toll roads, including at tollgates, service area ramps, turn-offs and junctions. The new function was made possible by advances in communications-based map-updating technology and in pinpoint position-recognition technology that uses information from GPS, gyro, vehicle-speed and other sensors to determine accurate vehicle movement.[13]
In 2013 Mercedes-Benz introduced wrong-way driver warning function on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W222).[14]
References
[edit]- ^ a b US National Transportation Safety Board (2012-12-11). "Wrong-Way Driving" (PDF). Special Investigative Report 12/01. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. pp. 1–77. Retrieved 9 June 2013.
- ^ "Geisterfahrer auf der Autobahn: Warum sie gegenan rasen / Alles hochgradig hirnlose Kutscher? (Wrong-way driver on the highway: Why they race contrarily / All utterly brainless coachmen?)" (in German). Der Spiegel. December 4, 1978. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
- ^ Zhou, Huaguo; Zhao, Jiguang; Fries, Ryan; Pour-Rouholamin, Mahdi (2014). Statistical Characteristics of Wrong-Way Driving Crashes on Illinois Freeways. Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
- ^ "What to Do If a Wrong-Way Driver Is Coming Your Way to Avoid a Disastrous Collision". Inside Edition. 2017-05-23. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
- ^ Pour-Rouholamin, Mahdi; Zhou, Huaguo; Shaw, Jeffrey; Tobias, Priscilla (2015). Current Practices of Safety Countermeasures for Wrong-Way Driving Crashes. Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
- ^ a b Moler, Steve (2002). "Stop. You're going the wrong way". Public Roads. 66 (2). Federal Highway Administration, United States Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on April 27, 2021. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
- ^ Pour-Rouholamin, Mahdi; Zhou, Huaguo; Zhang, Beijia; Turochy, Rod (2016). Comprehensive Analysis of Wrong-Way Driving Crashes on Alabama Interstates. Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting. Washington, D.C. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
- ^ Baisyet, R.; Stevens, A. (March 2015). "Combating wrong way drivers on divided carriageways".
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Auckland Motorway Alliance wins top safety award". www.nzta.govt.nz. Retrieved 2024-07-02.
- ^ a b "Technology - Automotive Engineer". ae-plus.com. Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ Umar Zakir Abdul, Hamid; et al. (2016). "Current Collision Mitigation Technologies for Advanced Driver Assistance Systems–A Survey". PERINTIS eJournal. 6 (2). Retrieved 14 June 2017.
- ^ Lay, Harry (26 May 2011). "Toyota To Add Wrong Way Driving Alert To Navigation Systems". AutoGuide.com. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ "TMC to Add Wrong-way Driving Alert to Navigation Systems". toyota.co.jp. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
- ^ "The driving assistance systems: Helpers in the background". daimler.com. 15 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
