It is fortunate that this type of collision is relatively rare because the consequences are severe. I am speaking of driving the wrong way on a divided highway or freeway.
We received a driving complaint about once a month for someone driving on the wrong side of the Inland Island Highway when I was working for the B.C. Highway Patrol in Parksville.
The most frequent reasons for travelling the wrong way include impaired driving, attempts at suicide and genuine confusion. Other reasons can include age, mental defect or disease and confusing signage. One study that I read indicated that some do not enter signs were posted too high to be in the normal scanning path of older drivers.
So, how do you protect yourself from a wrong way driver? Travel in the right lane except when passing as it is most likely the wrong way driver will be in the lane to your left. If you don't have daytime running lights, turn on your headlights. Scan well ahead at all times, and finally, wear your seat belt properly.
What to do if you encounter a wrong way driver? Move to the right onto the shoulder and stop. Reducing the closing speed of the vehicles and not taking the collision forces directly head on will improve chances for survival.
I used the Injury Data Online Tool (iDOT) hosted by the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit. The tool does not allow selecting a divided highway road type, but choosing a speed of 110 to 120 km/h would likely limit the results appropriately. Between 2002 and 2021 there were six deaths and 19 injuries caused by wrong way driving.
Total wrong side collision statistics for all highways in the province include 598 deaths and 5,059 injuries.
Tim Schewe is a retired constable with many years of traffic law enforcement. To comment or learn more, please visit DriveSmartBC.ca
