Wrong-way accidents often cause severe injuries. Many of these crashes are deadly. Often, they happen on the interstate, so drivers are traveling at a high rate of speed and not expecting any opposing traffic.
That said, you may wonder why these crashes keep happening in the first place. Any time you get on the interstate, the road is very clearly designed to orient you in the same direction as other traffic. In order to get on the interstate going the wrong way, you would have to make an illegal turn or drive the wrong direction up the offramp, passing numerous wrong-way signs as you did so. What is causing drivers to make these significant mistakes?
Alcohol use
It may come as no surprise that most studies point to alcohol as the main culprit behind wrong-way accidents. An impaired driver is just more likely to make mistakes that a sober driver would not. They may not see the wrong-way signs. They may not realize that traffic is coming toward them. Many wrong-way drivers are likely intoxicated and believe they are driving correctly and safely until the moment of impact.
This is perhaps reflected in the fact that these accidents often happen at night. If you are driving late at night, especially on the weekend, there is a greater chance that you are going to encounter impaired drivers, and some of them may be driving the wrong direction on the interstate. That is not to say that these accidents cannot happen at any time of day, but simply that it is helpful to know when the risks are greater.
Unfortunately, even understanding these risks does not mean you can avoid the wrong-way driver. If you suffer injuries in an accident, be sure you know how to seek compensation.