Statistically the New York's Taconic State Parkway Wrong-way Collision Cause Not a Surprise (Updated)
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Lombardi In light of the New York wrong-way collision on the Taconic State Parkway getting so much publicity I thought it appropriate to repost my findings and conclusions about wrong-way collisions. The cause of the New York collision that killed eight people wasn’t surprising to me. In fact I found driving drunk and drugged to be the number one cause. The first video shows what they said before knowing her BAC level; the second the findings of the investigation.
In light of the evidence we have to ask whether the driver was an alcoholic that needed treatment.
UPDATE: 08/07/2009 - I had asked that question wondering if the woman was an alcoholic who could hide her lack of sobriety through building up a tolerance to the effects of alcohol. No one knows exactly whether this mother was or wasn't an alcoholic, but the point is we need to watch each family member and be asking when treatment may be necessary. That's the point of blogging about this tragedy. I've had clients with similar problems. Today, the family and friends came out to deny the driver was an alcoholic, drunk or smelled of pot the morning of the crash. The husband had coffee with her and she departed. But left unexplained is the vodka bottle in the van along with the autopsy preliminary chemical analysis.
August 7, 2009. Associated Press - http://video.aol.com/aolvideo/AOL News/husband-wrong-way-crash-driver-wasnt-a-drinker/32588366001
This tragedy has made national news with Katie Couric.
And on Good Morning America
What are the causes of wrong-way drivers, aka “ghost riders”?
1. Alcohol or drug related driver confusion.
2. Old age and confusion.
3. Mental defect or disease.
4. Purposeful acts including attempts to commit suicide and criminals attempting to elude law enforcement officers.
5. Inexperience.
6. Signage confusion and road design. Broad medians can cause sight confusion with situational awareness.
7. GPS providing incorrect, inaccurate or confusing information.
What should you do if you see a wrong-way driver?
1. Get to the shoulder and stop.
2. If you can’t get to the shoulder, slow down and attempt to safely stop your vehicle.
3. Sound your horn.
4. Put on your lights.
5. Call 9-1-1.
6. Before getting in the car wear your seat belts.
7. Drive in the right hand lane of travel on the Interstate.
8. When passing or coming to the crest of a hill look ahead for a wrong-way driver making sure the lane is clear.
9. Assume when in the left hand lane of a divided highway that you may come upon a wrong-way driver.
10. When driving on a divided highway stay vigilant and pay attention to what is ahead of you. Avoid allowing distractions to take your attention off the road ahead.
How can drivers avoid wrong-way driving?
1. Don’t drive drunk.
2. When coming to a divided highway come to a complete stop, look at and read the signs, making sure you know which way to go.
3. Don’t allow vehicles to the rear to rush you.
4. Stay off the telephone when driving.
5. Don’t allow distractions to interfere with being vigilant about your driving.
6. If you’re a young driver, don’t drive when the other passengers are a distraction.
7. If you’re an elderly driver, get evaluated once a year to see if your senses and skill level allow you to safely drive. Don’t be so stubborn about giving up your driver’s license that you ignore the signs of perception difficulties. Invest in and use a GPS.
What else needs to happen to reduce wrong-way collisions?
1. States could identify the locations of repeated wrong-way entry points. Those points could be redesigned including tire puncture equipment such as we see in use at most parking ramps.
2. The Court’s must get very tough on drunk drivers and those who cause collisions from being on cell phones (talking or texting); more than they already have been.
3. The DOT should begin an education campaign for drivers to recognize and avoid wrong-way drivers.
4. The DOT should begin an education campaign to instruct drivers what to do when a wrong-way driver approaches.
5. States should further study wrong-way avoidance road and sign designs.
6. State DOT’s should consider a different middle line design with hash marks bent in the direction of travel and against the opposing direction.
7. Juries in civil actions need to send a clear message to offenders with large punitive damage awards.
8. The DOT needs to evaluate older drivers annually for visual and mental awareness; taking away driving privileges where there is risk.
9. Lawyers need to plead punitive damages in wrong-way collisions.
10. Victims need to be educated on what to do when they are involved in a wrong-way collision.
11. Witnesses of wrong-way collisions need to get involved with identifying themselves to police officers investigating a wrong-way collision. Those witnesses may have very valuable information to helping identify the entry points, causes and preventive measures.
12. DOT accident forms need to be amended to allow the collection of information to identify characteristics associated with causing wrong-way entry points, times when wrong-way collisions are most likely to occur and driver characteristics of those likely to drive the wrong-way. Children and friends of older drivers need to get involved with identifying those likely wrong-way drivers.
13. States should consider a radio system that would allow public service interruptions, like what is done on television when a weather emergency is eminent. It wouldn’t be perfect (not all radios are on) but something is perhaps better than nothing.
New York, New York – July 2009 – Taconic State Parkway – Eight people died - Driving 70-mph two-miles the wrong-way on a highway she was very familiar with what caused this 36-year-old mother with her children in the van to do the unthinkable? In her van was her 2-year-old daughter, 5-year-old son and three nieces. All but one died in the head-on crash. It was a Sunday and she was driving from a campground. Her son was the only one to survive the crash. In the other head-on car, an SUV, three men died. This is an unbelievably busy interstate. So why did she continue going the wrong way? There is a video at the first link. And a video of the timeline involved just previous to the crash; the cause remains a mystery.