Wrong-way crashes are a trend heading in the wrong direction across Wisconsin

MILWUAKEE — Improper means crashes are a pattern heading within the unsuitable path in Wisconsin.

That is the truth after a wrong-way crash that occurred in the course of the in a single day hours on Wednesday. 27-year-old Ivy Caldwell died when she drove the wrong-way on I-43 simply south of Chase Avenue, crashing into 19-year-old Tyler Anderson’s car. He died too.

This crash comes as the latest numbers from the AAA Basis for Visitors Security present there was a median of 500 deadly wrong-way crashes per 12 months throughout the nation from 2015 till 2018. That is up 34% yearly from 2010 to 2014.

“There’s a nationwide pattern of will increase in wrong-way, head-on collisions like this. And particularly, in Wisconsin, we noticed the third highest enhance – about six instances larger than the nation common enhance,” stated Nick Jarmusz, Director of Public Affairs for AAA.

Wisconsin’s Division of Transportation says these are the kinds of crashes they deliberately attempt to forestall.​

“In a scenario like final evening, and I haven’t got the small print of that, however we have to take a look at is that this a location that often sees one thing like that occuring? Is that this one thing as a result of driver’s situation?” stated Michael Pyritz, a spokesman for the Wisconsin Division of Transportation’s Southeast Area.

He says wrong-way drivers typically self-correct shortly. Whereas it’s unclear why Cladwell was going the unsuitable means on I-43, Pyritz says in the case of lethal crashes, alcohol or medication are sometimes an element.

“Sadly, lots of people make selections that aren’t acceptable. [They] get behind the wheel after they should not be behind the wheel, and even with the indicators and the blinking lights and all the things else generally, they get behind the wheel. That ultimately may be very expensive,” stated Pyritz. 

Along with wrong-way indicators that line entrance ramps, a expertise referred to as BlinkLink has been put in at 20 Milwaukee-area interstate ramps – primarily in high-risk areas the place drivers usually tend to be confused.

“What that system does, it alerts our site visitors administration heart {that a} wrong-way driver has been detected and immediately that info goes to the Milwaukee County Sheriff. On the identical time it goes to us within the State Patrol. In order that info all comes collectively on the identical time,” stated Pyritz.

The ramps close to the crash on Wednesday weren’t supported by BlinkLink.

Milwaukee County’s Workplace of Emergency Administration tells TMJ4’s Ryan Jenkins that their first notification on this incident was not for a wrong-way driver, however for an accident that had already occurred.

Officers say should you ever encounter a wrong-way driver, get out of the way in which of the oncoming site visitors and name 9-1-1 instantly.

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