Preventing a fatal motor vehicle accident is a responsibility Pennsylvania authorities take seriously, and as it turns out one of the most common causes of those accidents is when drivers drive the wrong way down a one way street. While this can happen anywhere, for some reason it is happening in Pennsylvania more than any other state.

In the years between 2007 and 2011, more than 1300 people died in Pennsylvania traffic accidents which involved a "wrong way" driver. Only Texas had a comparable amount of similar accidents, with just over 1,150 during the same period, however the state is also much larger. All other states had wrong way fatal crash statistics of less than 400.

Most wrong way accidents happen when it is dark, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. They also happen more frequently on the weekends. Fifteen percent of drivers involved are over 70 years old, and well over half are alcohol related. The best way to protect yourself from a wrong way driver (aside from locking yourself in your house after 6 p.m.) is to stay alert, and if someone does start coming at you from the wrong direction, get to the side of the road quickly and let the police know there is a wrong way driver.

If you do suffer an injury or if your loved one is killed in a wrong way accident it is important to get any medical attention right away. In some cases, it is also a good idea to contact a personal injury attorney as well.

Source: KDKA, "Pa. Leads Nation In Wrong Way Traffic Fatalities," Sarah Arbogast, Feb. 8, 2013

We handle personal injury cases including those related to wrong-way accidents. If you would like to learn more about our practice, please visit our Pittsburgh fatal motor vehicle accidents page.