I-Team: New technology to reduce the number of wrong-way crashes

BERNARDSTON, Mass. (WWLP) – Mistaken-way crashes are escalating.

According to the most recent details from the AAA Basis for Site visitors Safety, there were being 2,008 fatalities from improper-way driving crashes on divided highways nationwide involving 2015 and 2018. Which is up 34{18fa003f91e59da06650ea58ab756635467abbb80a253ef708fe12b10efb8add} from the previous four many years.

All through that exact time period of time in Massachusetts, there was a 75{18fa003f91e59da06650ea58ab756635467abbb80a253ef708fe12b10efb8add} raise in improper-way crashes.

“Wrong-way crashes are really harmful and usually deadly and that’s mainly because if there’s a completely wrong-way crash on a divided freeway, it’s almost always a head-on crash, which of program, will involve a great drive and is generally deadly,” reported Mary Maguire of AAA Northeast. “When you’re driving you are emphasis must 100{18fa003f91e59da06650ea58ab756635467abbb80a253ef708fe12b10efb8add} be on the road and on your driving.”

According to AAA analysis, most completely wrong-way crashes involve an more mature driver, a driver who’s by itself in the car or truck, or just one that is impaired. Study displays the bulk of improper-way crashes nationwide have been caused by a driver with a BAC earlier mentioned the authorized restrict, which is .08{18fa003f91e59da06650ea58ab756635467abbb80a253ef708fe12b10efb8add}.

“In the past 12 months, I have worked with anyone who shed their loved a single, a fiancé, to a improper-way driver,” stated Mary Kate DePampehillis, the program director of Mothers Versus Drunk Driving Massachusetts. “It’s definitely devastating to know that these folks can just change somebody’s daily life in an instant, however. It’s scary to know there are erroneous-way motorists on the street.”

In January, a completely wrong-way crash on the Mass Pike in Blandford resulted in OUI prices in opposition to a lady from New York.

MassDOT has started setting up completely wrong-way vehicle detection techniques on many highway exits in the course of the point out, including on I-91 in Bernardston. If an individual goes up the ramp the wrong way, a digital camera will detect it and trigger flashing warning lights. It will be put in at 16 ramps that MassDOT and Massachusetts Point out Police have determined are more possible to see erroneous-way entries. The installations really should be entire by the stop of spring.

It is identical to the technological innovation that has been in use in Rhode Island for virtually 8 several years now. In 2015, the Rhode Island Division of Transportation commenced setting up detection devices on freeway ramps. It will inform the driver and notify Rhode Island State Police that an individual is driving the improper way on the road. The cameras get a photograph of the auto and deliver a information out to the overhead signs to warn other motorists.

RIDOT Visitors Security Engineer Steven Pristawa claimed the methods detect incorrect-way motorists about six moments a month on the state’s 29 ramps that have a detection method.

“From a safety standpoint, we’ve been content with it,” reported Pristawa.

Out of the hundreds of wrong-way motorists that have induced the detection procedure, one particular resulted in a crash. It was not fatal.

“We do not want to see anybody die on our roads, so everything we can do to prevent them, we’re generally delighted with the end result that can clearly show that form of reduction in fatalities,” stated Pristawa.