Investigation of Wrong-Way Driving, 2018

(2018) Investigation of Wrong-Way Driving, 2018. Transportation, Department of

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Abstract

Wrong-way driving (WWD) is an area of high concern across the United States, particularly due to the fact that such collisions involving wrong-way drivers tend to be among the most severe crashes in terms of occupant injuries and resultant crash costs. Recently, significant research, documentation, and countermeasure installation has been conducted nationally to prevent WWD as well as a series of research projects sponsored by various state departments of transportation (DOTs). WWD is also a significant threat to traffic safety as the act exacerbates the crash and fatality risks among occupants in the wrongway vehicle, as well as those occupants of the vehicles traveling in the correct direction. Most of the research to date has focused on high-speed divided highways, particularly interstate and full-access control freeways. While these facilities require grade separations, a particular concern in Iowa is the presence of expressways, where access from the crossroads occurs at-grade. This represents an area where additional investigation was necessary. In addition, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) has collected valuable data as to the prevalence of wrong-way driving on the US 30 corridor near Ames, Iowa since 2014. The objectives of this project were to assess the state-of-the-art and state-of-the-practice as it relates to countermeasures to address wrong-way driving and investigate the nature and magnitude of wrong-way driving issues occurring in Iowa and along the US 30 corridor near Ames, Iowa.