Although many think Arizona highways have seen an increasing number of wrong-way drivers, that’s not the case, officials say.
A recent string of wrong-way drivers and wrong-way crashes on Arizona freeways raises a key question: Has there been an uptick in these kinds of situations?
In short, the answer is no.
Even though there were more than 1,700 wrong-way drivers reported on Arizona freeways in 2024, Sgt. Eric Andrews with the Arizona Department of Public Safety says that figure reflects the number of reported wrong-way drivers, not the number of crashes or deaths.
“When we look at any of our numbers, everything is trending down for the most part, some more than others,” Andrews said. “The collisions, and especially fatal collisions, is a very, very small percentage of the actual reported incidents.”
Arizona saw 1,740 reported wrong-way driver incidents in 2024, compared to 1,979 incidents in 2019, according to data provided by DPS. The number of collisions caused by wrong-way drivers in 2024 was 59, up from 55 reported in 2019. In terms of deaths, 14 were reported in 2024, down from the 17 reported in 2019.
Most of the wrong-way incidents happen between 11 p.m. and 4 a.m, according to Andrews.
“It’s easier to get on the highway going (the) wrong-way if there’s no vehicles on the road to prevent you from doing so in the first place,” he said.
Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol makes up the majority of the causes of wrong-way incidents, Andrews said, but there have also been cases with elderly drivers who were confused, or drivers who were suffering from a mental health episode.
Since 2018, the Arizona Department of Transportation has detected wrong-way drivers through the use of thermal cameras, which alert dispatch centers to call law enforcement and also trigger the overhead digital signs to warn drivers of a wrong-way driver approaching. Arizona was the first state in the nation to implement such a system. Andrews says this technology, combined with road sensors and 911 calls, contributes to the high number of incidents reported.
Arizona’s figures compare favorably to nearby states. Nevada saw 123 wrong-way crashes with 49 deaths last year, while Utah saw 313 wrong-way crashes and 12 deaths. Data for New Mexico was not immediately available. While crash data from California was not available, the state estimates that 43 people die each year in wrong-way crashes.
Other states don’t use the technology that Arizona implements. Each state tracks data differently, meaning the true number of wrong-way incidents in neighboring states could be similar to Arizona in recent years.
In addition to the camera and sensor technology, ADOT has also installed larger wrong-way signs at freeway on-ramps. But Doug Nintzel, spokesman for ADOT, says the efforts are not designed to prevent wrong-way drivers.
While the larger wrong-way signage has helped drivers to self-correct, the camera system has helped to alert law enforcement in a timely manner, rather than waiting on 911 calls, and have helped law enforcement to stop wrong-way vehicles before a crash happens, Nintzel said.
“We can’t prevent someone from becoming a drunk driver and actually making that bad decision to be out there on the road and maybe entering a freeway in the wrong direction,” Nintzel said. “We don’t see this as a prevention system as much as a system that is meant to reduce the risk and assist law enforcement.”
2 thoughts on “Arizona highways: Numbers of wrong-way drivers and crashes decrease – Cronkite News”
To end wrong way drivers on our highways is an expensive but permanent solution. Just put retractable spikes on every off ramp. Someone getting on a freeway using the off ramp would have their tires spiked and flattened which would stop them from entering the freeway the wrong way. Steel spikes would need very little maintenance and would be permanent. Costly, initially but then what price can you put on human lives?
It is my personal feeling that if a person is arrested for DUI, their car/truck/motorcycle should be taken away from them, impounded, sold and the money should go to the police department and it’s K-9 unit and fire department. That would certainly stop people from driving drunk! That and above mentioned spike stripes would cut down on accidents and deaths.
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