Texas Strategic Highway Safety Plan

Older Road Users

Older Road Users are drivers and pedestrians 65 and older

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Countermeasure: Wrong-way drivers
Wrong-Way Drivers Action Plan
Description

Install wrong-way driver warning signs, pavement markings, and advanced technology to detect and warn wrong-way drivers, particularly at high-speed intersections with medians where drivers are likely to turn into oncoming traffic.

Steps For Implementation
  1. Form regional task forces that include the state transportation agency, local transportation agencies, local law enforcement agency, and other entities to share information about wrong-way driving events and collaborate on methods and countermeasures to address the issue.
  2. Use 911 call logs and/or crash data to identify the location of wrong-way events/crashes and the characteristics of wrong-way drivers. While event and crash data typically do not provide the actual wrong-way entry point, these data can be used to determine corridors with a high frequency of wrong-way maneuvers.
  3. Conduct field reviews of exit ramps and intersections in the identified area to ensure the signing and pavement markings in place meet the current state standards and are in adequate condition. Any noted traffic control device deficiencies should be corrected as soon as possible. The field review should also note other items that may increase the likelihood of wrong-way maneuvers, such as the location of nearby businesses that serve alcohol and special event facilities, the location of driveways near the ramp, the downstream intersection geometry and traffic control devices, and the interchange design. A one-page field review sheet can be found in Appendix B of Texas A&M Transportation Institute Research Report 0-6769-1.
  4. Consider low-cost signing and pavement marking countermeasures, such as:
    • Additional DO NOT ENTER and/or WRONG WAY signs.
    • Oversized DO NOT ENTER and/or WRONG WAY signs.
    • Lower-height DO NOT ENTER and/or WRONG WAY signs.
    • WRONG WAY arrow pavement markings.
    • Red retroreflective sheeting on DO NOT ENTER and WRONG WAY sign supports.
  5. Consider active detection and warning systems, such as:
    • Red flashing lights around the border of WRONG WAY signs.
    • Blank-out WRONG WAY signs.
    • Internally illuminated WRONG WAY signs.
  6. Consider access management and geometric modifications.
  7. Identify innovative countermeasures, and fund research to examine their design, feasibility, and effectiveness.
  8. Develop cost estimates for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of selected countermeasures.
  9. Obtain funding to purchase and install selected countermeasures.
  10. Install, document, and test selected countermeasures.
  11. Evaluate installed countermeasures using wrong-way driving event and crash data, as well as surrogate measures (e.g., percent self-corrected).
  12. Document and share evaluation results and lessons learned.
Participating Organizations

TxDOT, city agencies, municipalities, and law enforcement agencies

Effectiveness
*****
In
closed-course
studies, participants felt installing oversized signs and adding red retroreflective sheeting on the sign support and red flashing lights around the border of the sign made it easier to recognize a WRONG WAY sign (Texas A&M Transportation Institute Research Report 0-6769-1). In 2014, researchers found red flashing lights around the border of WRONG WAY signs at freeway exit ramps resulted in a 38% reduction in wrong-way driving events (Texas A&M Transportation Institute Research Report 0-6769-1). Using a more recent data set, in 2017, researchers attributed a 32% reduction in wrong-way driving events to red flashing lights around the border of WRONG WAY signs. This finding equates to an event (non-crashes and crashes) modification factor of 0.68 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.45 to 0.91 (forthcoming National Cooperative Highway Research Program [NCHRP] report). At divided highway intersections, researchers have found the following treatments deter wrong-way movements (forthcoming NCHRP report): DO NOT ENTER and WRONG WAY signs on the outside of a wrong-way turn. Wrong-way arrow pavement markings for the through lanes. The presence of a centerline in the median opening. Use of stop or yield lines when interior right-of-way treatments are provided.
Cost to Implement
$$$$$
Low-cost
signing
and pavement marking countermeasures: $100 to $500 each (includes equipment purchase and installation). Active detection and warning systems: $10,000 to $35,000 each (includes equipment purchase and installation).
Time to Implement

Forming regional task forces: 1 to 3 months.
Obtaining and analyzing wrong-way driving event and/or crash data: 1 to 3 months.
Conducting field reviews: 1 to 3 months.
Implementing low-cost signing and pavement marking countermeasures: 1 to 3 months.
Implementing active detection and warning systems: 6 months to 1 year.
Implementing access management and geometric modifications: 1 to 3 years.
Researching innovative countermeasures: 1 to 3 years.
Evaluating installed countermeasures: 1 to 5 years.

Barriers
  • Funding.
  • Sample sizes insufficient to establish expected effectiveness.
  • A large number of freeway exit ramps and divided highway intersections.
  • Lack of data about actual entry points (i.e., where the wrong-way maneuver was initiated).