Wrong Way drivers in Phoenix (Mesa: movies, design, cars)

[Dewey59]

As much as I love driving, I am forced to concede that we need to move forward with driverless cars. There are a lot of variables that are feeding the wrong way driving crisis we are facing, but our society is not willing to take hard action against those variables, so done properly, I believe driverless cars could have a huge impact on not only wrong way crashes, but many others as well.

For those who have not heard, last night's incident on the 51 prompted Gov. Ducey today to call for action on this problem (not sure how much good it will do):

Doug Ducey speaks out after 17th wrong-way crash in Phoenix area - ABC15 Arizona

[jimj]

One has to ask "what in the design of our roadways is causing this to happen with such frequency?". There are freeways/highways all over this nation as well as the world AND there are impaired drivers all over as well, it seems we in AZ are the leaders in wrong way drivers.
Why isn't this happening elsewhere as frequently?

[TempeAZnative]

The increase in the wrong drivers coincides with pain meds and heroine increase. I would venture to say they are now mixing alcohol with fentanyl they are zombies. They need to start releasing toxicology reports on these drivers.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by TempeAZnative

The increase in the wrong drivers coincides with pain meds and heroine increase. I would venture to say they are now mixing alcohol with fentanyl they are zombies. They need to start releasing toxicology reports on these drivers.

So then why is it not happening all over? Are you saying AZ is the only place where opioids are being used or that somehow it's worse in AZ?
I think attempting to drop this on the current "headline news" about drug abuse is a shot in the dark and a miss...

[cactusland]

I think some of it is the 'copycat' subconscious phenomenon where when one type of crime is observed that was never observed before, suddenly it becomes common. This has obviously, also happened from fictions where the term was coined from, so what if the mere incidence of it happening is making it happen more often?

Also the GPS option isn't viable, it won't work for all vehicles. The sensors on certain ramps where incidence seems to be higher is a far better option. But don't think any of this comes without great cost to taxpayers.

One thing we can all do as a community is make sure that our elderly are taking community or family driven driving options, and to make sure that drivers who are potentially in an altered state due to drugs are shamed from ever even considering taking to the road.

[Elna Rae]

I can't think of a more deadly weapon than an automobile or truck going 65mph in the wrong direction.

Solution?

Remote controlled anti-tank guns mounted on all freeway off ramps. Sensors pick up a vehicle going the wrong direction.

Bye-Bye deadly weapon.

[Minntoaz]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

Calling BS. It would take extra effort to go the wrong way on the freeway here, and you would notice you're on the wrong side of the road unless you were so intoxicated, but then how'd you navigate to get yourself in that position?

Originally Posted by jimj

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this but I think this has a lot to do with cloverleaf off/on ramps that many states have vs what AZ has.
Take CA for example, when you get off a freeway and continue to go under an overpass then make a right turn you're getting back on the freeway in the opposite direction. In AZ you'd be going the wrong way. I think when someone is impaired either due to lack of sleep or DUI this could make it harder to realize where you are and revert back to old traffic habits.
I'd bet that has a whole bunch to do with what's going on.
I know when I first moved here it was very unnatural for me to turn left to get on a freeway.

Exactly Jimj, Arizona is the only state of the 30 I've been to so far that makes it so easy to just jump on the freeway, most on-ramps do not work this way. Additionally there are no wrong way driver tire poppers that most interstate on ramps have. Super easy fix that could of prevented the 1600 wrong way driving incidents reported in AZ in 2016 .

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by Minntoaz

Additionally there are no wrong way driver tire poppers that most interstate on ramps have. Super easy fix that could of prevented the 1600 wrong way driving incidents reported in AZ in 2016 .

"Wrong way driver tire poppers", I have driven in 40 different states and probably over 250,000 miles in my lifetime (have driven across the country 5 times), and I don't ever recall seeing those on any of the interstates that I have traveled on, I'm not saying they don't exist, but maybe I'm blind!

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Minntoaz

Exactly Jimj, Arizona is the only state of the 30 I've been to so far that makes it so easy to just jump on the freeway, most on-ramps do not work this way. Additionally there are no wrong way driver tire poppers that most interstate on ramps have. Super easy fix that could of prevented the 1600 wrong way driving incidents reported in AZ in 2016 .

I just don't get how a driver can be that stupid. Almost every freeway interchange is the same structure here with signs and arrows. What we have is a literacy problem.

I have never in my decades living here ever been put in a position where I could possibly go down a highway in the wrong direction. I can't even conceive of it because it's so ridiculous.

I'd be concerned as the States insurer since they're all but admitting there's a road design issue. Road design=culpability in subsequent wrongful death lawsuits.

[ElleTea]

Originally Posted by cjseliga

"Wrong way driver tire poppers", I have driven in 40 different states and probably over 250,000 miles in my lifetime (have driven across the country 5 times), and I don't ever recall seeing those on any of the interstates that I have traveled on, I'm not saying they don't exist, but maybe I'm blind!

I have never seen them on interstate, either. They are usually in parking lots or exits to state parks, etc.

Those wrong way tire poppers would not work due to the speeds of cars going on the on ramps (or technically off ramps since they are going the wrong way!) This has been discussed many times by the media as this is always the first thing people suggest.

What is the best option so far, and is being seriously considered would be signs that light up as a driver approaches the wrong way, and a camera to take a photo of the car that would go immediately to the police to alert them that someone has entered the freeway the wrong way.