Just a couple of weeks ago, we wrote about the wave of wrong-way accidents occurring in Phoenix, Arizona. Three crashes claimed seven lives within a month, and the truly disturbing fact about this story is that wrong-way drivers — which are supposed to be very rare — are involved. How do you combat such a bizarre and dangerous trend?
Well it appears the wave hasn’t crested quite yet, as another wrong-way crash was reported 35 miles north of Phoenix. The crash involved two vehicles, one traveling appropriately in the northbound lanes, and the other traveling south in the northbound lanes. Thankfully, everyone survived the crash, though all three victims needed to be hospitalized as a result of the wreck.
The driver of the wrong-way vehicle suffered undisclosed injuries, while the passenger in that vehicle and the driver of the other vehicle suffered broken bones.
The spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety said that they “very much suspect” impairment was the reason for the crash, which seems to be the central theme to all of these accidents. Even with this rationale, it still seems strange that such a startling amount of wrong-way wrecks have occurred in the area in such a short period of time.
This is such a weird and scary trend that we must implore all Arizona drivers to think before they act. Don’t get behind the wheel of a vehicle is you have had any alcohol to drink, and when you are behind the wheel — regardless of your state of mind — be safe and stay focused on the road. These accidents simply don’t need to happen.
Source: The Republic, “3 hurt in what is 4th wrong-way vehicle collision this month on an Arizona highway,” Associated Press, May 25, 2014