Here’s what to do to avoid a wrong-way driver

Of all the ways motor vehicles can crash into each other on the highway, a head-on collision is probably the deadliest. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimates that head-on crashes have a fatality rate 12-27% higher than all other types of collisions, such as rear-end and T-bone accidents.

A head-on highway crash happens when a vehicle ends up going the wrong way. This can occur when a vehicle drifts over the yellow line on a smaller highway. Sometimes, drivers enter the road through an exit lane.

Protecting yourself from wrong-way drivers in Northern Virginia

If a wrong-way driver is bearing down on you, you probably have only a few seconds to react. Here are four tips for minimizing your chances of getting caught in a wrong-way car wreck:

• Be careful at night and on weekends. These are the most likely times for someone to go the wrong way on the highway, possibly because they have been drinking.
• Drive in the right lane. If you must be on the road at night or during the weekend, stick to the right-hand lane as much as possible. The NTSB estimates that 70% of wrong-way car accidents occur in the lane closest to the median.
• Pull over onto the shoulder. If a wrong-way driver is approaching, move over onto the shoulder.
• Call 911. Hopefully, the wrong-way driver has passed you by, and you are safe. Still, you should call 911 immediately to warn the police. Others on the road will be in danger until the dangerous driver is stopped.

Thankfully, wrong-way car accidents are rare. But any auto accident can potentially cause you terrible pain, suffering and disability. As someone who was injured in a car crash caused by someone else, you could be entitled to substantial financial damages. To find out what kind of recovery you might qualify for, talk to an experienced personal injury attorney.