Wrong Way Driving Deaths

[Creasy336]

There have been so many wrong way driving deaths in the Charlotte area, particularly on I-485. Is drunk driving the blame, or poor road design? Could it be a combination of both? North Carolina is ranked very high when it comes to wrong way deaths nationally. What is the problem? Charlotte doesn't have any more people driving drunk than any other medium to large size city in this country. So what is the problem?

[redjeep77]

This has been kind of a touchy subject in the past. We don't want this post to turn into a racial thing.....i am just going to say DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE. It's not only lack of self respect, but also for your family members and for potential victim's family members. It's just not worth it.

[charlotte_bon_vivant]

I think stronger penalties for drunk driving are necessary. They may not reduce the numbers of incidents, at least in cases where someone is hurt or killed there are tougher sentences. That is only fair. More protection along the median would drastically lower the number of wrong way drivers on 485. Most of the drivers drove across the median rather than entering the road going the wrong way.

It's probably time to revive the old MADD/SADD campaign. Both were successful in reducing the number of drunk driving incidents. I know they're still active, but they're not as vocal as they were in the 80s.

[dubone]

By now, the wrong way drivers have turned out to be more diverse than the first couple.

This is a problem of drunk driving.

I would like to see the state pain arrows at every lane of every intersection of every one way street. There are many places in the world where this is done. On regular one way streets downtown, it would help avoid that problem. It is not that rare for people to go the wrong way by mistake.

But when you add alcohol to the mix, I don't know of any way to be clear. The point is that when you are drunk you are clearly missing all of the signs.

This may be an odd question, but I have wondered if there is any copycat situation going on. Probably not, but how else could these things be happening so frequently in the last 6 months.

[monsoon]

What do all these events have in common? The drivers were so drunk they didn't even know what happened. When sober people start driving the wrong way on a highway then maybe there is some reason to be concerned but until then, it is plainly the fault of the drunk driver. In every single one of these cases, it was a failure of someone to behave as decent citizens that lead to the deaths of these people.

We can attempt to design the highways so it's impossible to enter them the wrong way, and they will just kill people elsewhere. There is a case in the courts right now against an individual that got drunk at a bar in Huntersville got in his car and drove 95 MPH down Sam Furr road and killed two girls by crashing into their car right in front of Birkdale Village.

[A2]

My thoughts on this are simple....

Don't Drink and Drive!

However, I think there coule be some serious improvements on our area roadways. For one we could light the damn things !

You guys know I had to throw that in there. Sorry about the swearing

I don't wear glasses and even I have difficulty making out the lines distinguiishing lanes, as well as signage pointing to an exit or lane shift.

One of these days someone is going to get hurt, die, or be permently disabled and sue the state for neglegence. The state has continued to strip funds from the highway trust fund that were suppose to be used to maintain and light our roads.

REMEMBER: Those dollars are all ours !

Our elected officials have decided to use it to in the way THEY want. I don't want to hear S%$t about we are broke and we had to pull funds from one fund to ballance the budget. This is a TRUST FUND !!! If you take from it for ANY other purpose than what it was intended you are defrauding hard working tax payers ! .

In our "sue happy" society I am a bit shocked somebody has not filed a claim against the state. I know for most of the major interchanges and exists are for the most part pitch black. IT IS DANGEROUS !

I mean heck people can win millions off of private enterprises (ie McDonalds) for getting burned when they spill hot coffee on their person. If these kind of suits can bring in damages totaling millions then why can't the states neglegence be brought under fire in a court of law.

I don't know about you, but I want my money back so it can be used for what is was supposed to be used for in the first place.

This has to be stopped.

A2

[DigitalSky]

Channel 36 says that they should lower the "Wrong Way" signs so the drivers can see them better http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/storie...y.1168d8fd.html but it's true that the real problem is the intoxicated/impaired drivers.

[Creasy336]

I can see a problem with inexperienced drivers, drunk drivers, etc... making wrong turns via partial clover leafs especially on I-485. When you make a left onto I-485 in University City going towards I-85 from University City BL. It could be easy for someone to make a left onto the off-ramp loop instead of making a left onto the on-ramp.

Can anybody else see where I'm coming from?

[monsoon]

Honestly if the driver it paying attention, I don't see anyway that someone can get onto a highway backwards. However that is the problem in a lot of accidents, forgetting the impared part, I know all of you have seen drivers putting on makeup, eating, chatting on the phone, reading, and slapping down ill behaved kids in the back seat. All of it is just an accident waiting to happen.

monsoon had the recent misfortune of getting a speeding ticket for going 35mph in a neighborhood. lol Rather than fight it, I decided to pay my debt to society by paying the $150+ to go to traffic school. (first ticket since 1985) This class had maybe 120-130 people in it and 95% were soccar moms who all claimed they did nothing wrong to deserve a ticket. The problem is with our drivers, not the roads.

[Ryepow]

I have to agree with A2 about the poor lighting and lack there of. I know it may not prevent a drunk driver from driving the wrong way, but maybe it would help the sober driver see them coming better to avoid a major accident. I think the bigger concern for better lighting is the growing amount of debris in the road and animals such as deer crossing. I was driving from Winston Salem one night a couple weeks ago at night and was paying attention to the lighting along my way. The only lighting on 77 is at exits, and most were burned out. It's not until you get to the 77/85 interchange that there are light posts beyond just exits, but again I would say about three quarters are not working up to the Brookshire freeway. 77 shoud be lit completely from lake Norman to the NC/SC state line, 485 should be completely lit, and 85 should be completely lit from Concorde to Gastonia.

[reverbandwhiskey]

"The problem is with our drivers, not the roads."

agreed.

"77 shoud be lit completely from lake Norman to the NC/SC state line, 485 should be completely lit, and 85 should be completely lit from Concorde to Gastonia."

Or you could just spring for better headlights and an eye exam. I honestly have never had any problem seeing on any stretch of highway.

[lupitachica]

I see it as a combination of both driver irresponsibility and poor signs and lighting.

Since these incidents have been happening, I've been paying attention to the lay out of the exit and entrance ramps. Imo, it can be very easy to get on on the wrong side particularly if you're impaired.

That said, there seems to be an issue with drunks in Charlotte that's especially dangerous in a city where driving is necessary to get anywhere.

I do think its interesting though that in the beginning the news reporting is very harsh and critical of the drunk drivers but after the latest trouble there is a sudden focus on "how are we going to change the lighting and making the roads safe".

[monsoon]

I do think its interesting though that in the beginning the news reporting is very harsh and critical of the drunk drivers but after the latest trouble there is a sudden focus on "how are we going to change the lighting and making the roads safe".

I chalk that up to the absolute lack of any responsible journalism in the local media. It is deplorable of them to even suggest that any of this is the fault of anyone but the drunk who decided to get behind the wheel of the car and drive into traffic with innocent people. Its no different from a drunk taking a gun and fireing it into a crowd. Of course the local news would say could they design a better gun lock.

[charlotte_bon_vivant]

I chalk that up to the absolute lack of any responsible journalism in the local media. It is deplorable of them to even suggest that any of this is the fault of anyone but the drunk who decided to get behind the wheel of the car and drive into traffic with innocent people. Its no different from a drunk taking a gun and fireing it into a crowd. Of course the local news would say could they design a better gun lock.

Well, yes it is the fault of the drunk driver. But the question so many are asking is, "Why are there so many wrong way driving deaths?" Which is too unique a situation to blame drunk driving alone. Why are so many impaired drivers ending up on the opposite site of the interstate? I don't have any stats, but I suspect that intoxicated drivers aren't the only drivers to end up on the wrong side of the road. Getting tough on drunk drivers alone may not solve the problem, so we need to address the safety of the road itself as well.

[swampfox43]

The real evidence showing the number of drunks on our interstates is right under our noses every day. Every single on/off ramp on I-485, I-77 & I-85 are lined with beer cans and bottles. I travel quite a bit through Charlotte and I see it every week! Very disturbing!!

The evidence is overwhelming & scary to say the least.

Too bad the police can never catch these morons tossing this stuff out the window. Then they could charge them with littering & drunk driving!

[Creasy336]

There have been cases in the Charlotte area where the driver wasn't drunk. Most times though alcohol is the reason for this deadly error. Look at all of the deaths recently in this area alone. Here is case where it happened twice in one week! Think about all the ones we don't hear about. The rate is alarming right now. Yes these people are drunk (not all of them) but I believe something about the road design makes it easier for this mistake to be made. I am strongly against drunk driving because the ones doing it can harm themsleves as well as others. Why don't we hear about this as much other places? Maybe i should research this some.

[monsoon]

Actually in the link you provided, both drivers were found to be drunk.

I will repeat myself. A responsible driver, who is paying attention, will not enter the freeway the wrong way. Unfortunately you can't design roads to prevent drunk drivers from killing people. That poor individual that was killed on Weddington Rd, Sunday night buy a 19 year old drunk driver is an example of that.

Instead of wasting money on road design for this, they need to instead spend it on better enforcement. Most of these individuals had prior DWIs and did not suffer any consequences for it.

[reverbandwhiskey]

Want to reduce drunk driving accidents? Have the State stop treating them like parking tickets. 90 daysmandatory jail sentence for first offense. Six month sentence for the second. Two years for the third.

This would eliminate most DUI's. The Penalty would be too high for anyone to risk. Suddenly catching a cab/bus back home doesn't seem like such a hassle.

We, as a society, tolerate DUI's as a minor crime then only get upset when someone is seriously hurt or killed.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Want to reduce drunk driving accidents? Have the State stop treating them like parking tickets. 90 daysmandatory jail sentence for first offense. Six month sentence for the second. Two years for the third.

This would eliminate most DUI's. The Penalty would be too high for anyone to risk. Suddenly catching a cab/bus back home doesn't seem like such a hassle.

We, as a society, tolerate DUI's as a minor crime then only get upset when someone is seriously hurt or killed.

Indeed. And don't let the kids weasel out. I often hear kids talking about how they get out of punishment because they have a certain attorney.

[cinco]

Indeed. And don't let the kids weasel out. I often hear kids talking about how they get out of punishment because they have a certain attorney.

yeah, but it might be a money factor as well. we all know that if you have the scratch, your chances are far greater of getting off.

as for the wrong way thing.. i am perplexed. it seemed to me that b/c the first few offenders were hispanic, that it was language thing (not being able to read road signs). however, that theory wouldn't apply @ all with these others.

i have often wondered if mandatory breathalizer machines @ bars would help? it just seems sad that a breathalizer is only given AFTER its too late. obviously, this would invoke alot of debate and of course cost would be a huge contention... but, money is wasted on far lesser issues daily.

[Creasy336]

Tonight there is a story on FOX Charlotte on wrong way drivers. Today someone did get pulled over driving the wrong way on Independence who wasn't drunk. The lady claimed she just got confused.

[Creasy336]

Tonight there is a story on FOX Charlotte on wrong way drivers. Today someone did get pulled over driving the wrong way on Independence who wasn't drunk. The lady claimed she just got confused.

there were other issues with her but I don't want to sound racist by mentioning her nationality.

[Jerseyman4]

Instead of wasting money on road design for this, they need to instead spend it on better enforcement.

Agreed.

Over in Cumberland County, the court drops about 30% of its DWI cases. Thats the highest percentage of any county in the state and its also disturbing that other counties are not too far away from that percentage too.