Wrong way driving can lead to some of the most devastating car accidents across San Diego, and a lot of this has to do with the fact that a car in the right direction has no reason to suspect anyone else will be coming from the opposite direction in their lane. With little reaction time available, a driver can sustain major injuries very quickly. There’s no doubt that wrong way driving can be linked to alcohol consumption in a fair number of cases, but it’s not the only cause of someone going the wrong direction.

One of the most high-risk demographics in terms of likelihood to cause a wrong-way accident are drivers over the age of 70. Not enough research has been done to provide solid evidence about this section of the population and the connection to wrong-way accidents, but it can be speculated that difficult seeing signs may be one factor.

The majority of wrong-way accidents happen when a driver misuses an exit ramp, according to research from the National Transportation Safety Board. This is most likely to happen at night, when signage is more difficult to identify in the first place. Nearly 80 percent of accidents involving wrong-way driving happen between the hours of 6 PM and 6 AM. Drivers who are unfamiliar with the area are also more likely to be involved in an accident due to wrong-way driving.

Another primary cause of wrong-way driving is operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Combined with the other dangerous factor of driving at night, impaired judgment as a result of alcohol consumption dramatically increases the chances that someone will be in an accident. If a vehicle is traveling at high speeds and exhibiting erratic behavior, this amplifies the potential damages and injuries from a wrong-way accident. Individuals injured in wrong-way accidents caused by someone else may be eligible to recover compensation in court.