http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/36top.html Page 1 of 2 Introduction It is difficult to understand how someone could end up driving in the wrong direction on the highway. However, 1 in 300 accidents involving personal injury or death is caused by a person driving in the wrong direction. Driving in the wrong direction is extremely dangerous and can lead to major accidents involving injuring or death. The following report examines the characteristics and factors involved in wrong-way accidents and gives examples of safety measures to prevent and counteract such accidents on the highways. Contents 1. Changes in the number of wrong-way accidents involving injury and death 2.1 Accidents according to age range 2.2 Accidents according to month 2.3 Accidents according to time of day 3.1 Wrong-way driving starting points 3.2 Circumstances involved in wrong-way driving 3.3 Circumstances involved at wrong-way driving starting points Conclusion The study found that the primary factors involved in wrong-way accidents can be divided into 4 major causes - 1) traffic violations, including intentional reckless driving and DUI, 2) inattention, including falling asleep at the wheel, carelessness, and absent-mindedness, and 3) impaired judgment, due to some physical illness such as dementia, and 4) insufficient knowledge of basic traffic rules and regulations, including not knowing how to use the highway. The study also found certain characteristics in common with regard to the driver's age and the wrong-way driving starting points. Although the percentage of wrong-way accidents is low compared to the total accidents involving injury

http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/36top.html Page 2 of 2 and death, a high percentage involve senior citizens, and this is a factor we need to be concerned about, considering the rapid aging of our society. In order to prevent this kind of accident, we must not only improve road markings and signposts but also enhance driver awareness through improved driver education. Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis (ITARDA)

http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/next01.html Page 1 of 3 26 of the approximately 7,700 accidents involving injury and death in the year 2000 in Japan were caused by wrong-way driving. Although the percentage of wrong-way accidents is low, they have a high fatality rate and should be considered by society to be one of the more serious forms of traffic accidents. 1. Wrong-way accidents involving injury and death This study examines the occurrence of wrong-way accidents on highways. Fig. 1 shows traffic accident statistics on the numbers of wrong-way accidents and total accidents involving injury and death that occur on highways. Accidents involving injury and death have increased yearly, and in particular, by 1.4 times from 1990 to 2000. Among these, wrong-way accidents have increased by 4 times, a high rate of growth compared to the whole. Fig. 2 shows Fatality rate (the percentage of accidents that end in one or more fatalities). In 2000, as many as 11.8% of wrong-way accidents ended in a death, but only 2.0% of the total number of accidents ended in someone's death. Fig. 1 Wrong-way accidents Fig. 2 Fatality rate (%) What exactly is involved in a wrong-way accident? This study examined and analyzed the data from 124 wrong-way accidents, including those that involved a loss of property, that occurred in the 4 years from 1997 to 2000. 2.1 Accidents according to age range What are the characteristics of wrong-way accidents by the age and gender of the driver(s)? The graph in Fig. 3 shows the number of accidents by age range. The numbers peak in three age ranges - 25-29, 45-54, and 75-79

http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/next01.html Page 2 of 3 years old. The overwhelming majority of wrong-way accidents involved male drivers. Most of the female drivers were in the young age range. The graph in Fig. 4 shows the percentages of accidents by age range. The percentage of senior citizens involved in the total number of accidents on highways involving injury or death is only 4%, but as many as 29% of the wrong-way accidents on highways were caused by those in the senior citizens age range. Fig. 3 Accidents by age range Fig. 4 Percentages by age range 2.2 Accidents according to month The graph in Fig. 5 shows the number of accidents by month. A great number of wrong-way accidents are caused by senior citizens in the early spring months of March and April. According to the section 3.2 "Circumstances involved in wrong-way driving" on page 4, most occur in early spring and involve senior citizens with some kind of physical illness such as dementia. In the other age ranges, many accidents occurred in December and were brought about by drunk driving (DUI). Fig. 5 Accidents by month

http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/next01.html Page 3 of 3 2.3 Accidents according to time of day The graph in Fig. 6 shows the number of accidents by time of day. Most accidents involving senior citizens occurred during the daytime, and most accidents involving people in the other age ranges occurred during the nighttime. Specifically, all wrong-way accidents caused by DUI occurred during the time period from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Fig. 6 Accidents by time of day up Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis (ITARDA)

http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/next02.html Page 1 of 3 3.1 Wrong-way driving starting points Where do these wrong-way accidents occur? The graph in Fig. 7 shows the percentages of these accidents that occur at various starting points. 20-40% of wrong-way accidents originate at interchanges and junctions,service and parking areas, or on the road, respectively. Fig. 7 Wrong-way driving starting points 3.2 Circumstances involved in wrong-way driving How do people end up traveling in the wrong direction on directionally-marked highways? Wrong-way accidents generally occur when people 1, miss their intended exit, 2, end up going in the opposite direction that they wanted and make a U-turn in order to correct their error, and 3, try to get back on the main road after stopping at a service area or parking area and end up going in the wrong direction. The primary factors involved in wrong-way accidents can be divided into 4 major causes - 1) traffic violations, including intentional reckless driving, escaping from a crime scene and upset after an accident, 2) inattention, including falling asleep at the wheel, carelessness, and absent-mindedness, and 3) impaired judgment, due to some physical illness such as dementia, and 4) insufficient knowledge of basic traffic rules and regulations, including not knowing how to use the highway. The graph in Fig. 8 shows the circumstances involved in the analysis by age range. The causes for these accidents differ according to age range. Most of the accidents caused by drivers in the young and midlife adult age range are brought about by falling asleep at the wheel or by carelessness or absent-mindedness. Most accidents caused by drivers in the senior citizens age range occur because of some physical illness such as dementia or not understanding how to use the highway. The graph in Fig. 9 shows the circumstances involved in the analysis by starting points. The causes for these accidents also differ according to starting point. On the main road, most accidents are caused by drivers who are trying to avoid traffic congestion, by some physical illness such as dementia, by vehicle upset after an accident, and by not understanding how to use the highway. At the interchanges, service areas, and parking areas, most are caused by DUI, falling asleep at the wheel, and carelessness or absent-mindedness.

http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/next02.html Page 2 of 3 Fig. 8 Circumstances involved in analysis by age range

http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/next02.html Page 3 of 3 Fig. 9 Circumstances involved in analysis by starting point up 3.3 Circumstances involved at wrong-way driving starting points This section takes a look at some typical behavior patterns involved at wrong-way accident starting points. 1, On the main road, a driver may make a U-turn because of misunderstanding that the next lane might be an opposite lane. Fig. 10 Behavior patterns on main road 2, At interchanges, drivers may think that they have room to make a U-turn in order to return to their desired destination, but in reality each direction of the highway is clearly separated and they may encounter a car coming from the opposite direction. Fig. 11 Behavior patterns around interchanges 4. Time periods with many fatal accidents during rainfall 3, At service areas and parking areas, many wrong-way accidents are brought about when drivers mistake the exit for the entrance, or the on-ramp for the off-ramp. Fig. 12 Behavior patterns around service areas and parking areas UP Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis (ITARDA)

http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/next03.html Page 1 of 2 We have looked at the characteristics and circumstances involved in wrong-way accidents. We must both prevent these accidents and minimize the harm when they do occur. The following three measures are designed to do this. (1) Enhance driver awareness of DUI violations We need to be aware that approximately 15% of the drivers who have caused these accidents have been driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol. It is essential to make drivers more awareness of the seriousness of DUI by carrying out thorough education and guidance on safe driving and improve our measures to control drunk driving. (2) Educate senior citizen drivers about using the highway Most senior citizen drivers involved in these accidents have caused them by not understanding how to use highways or because of some physical illness such as dementia. Senior citizen drivers should be informed about the proper use highways at driving training schools and driver safety lectures when drivers licenses are renewed. It is also necessary to prevent senior citizens from driving who are not suited to safe driving due to some physical illness. (3) Strengthen measures to prevent driver error At service areas and parking areas, drivers who are drowsy, careless, or absent-minded may drive in a reckless way, mistake the entrance and exit, and cause a wrong-way accident. It is necessary to design measures to make drivers become aware, as soon as possible, that they are going in the wrong direction. On the highway, the following types of measures are being carried out in order to prevent wrong-way accidents. Specifically, improvements to directional signposts, no entry signs and lane markings are being made at services areas or parking areas to help prevent accidents caused by being drowsy, careless or absent-minded and becoming confused about directions in a huge parking lot. 1) Main road directional signposts Conventional reflecting signposts Large, interiorly-illuminated signposts 2) No entry signposts Conventional signposts Nighttime visibility is improved with the use of lights. Large gate-type signposts and additional signposts 3) Improved lane markings Driver caution can be encouraged through the use of additional signposts and larger signposts. Additional lane markings leading to the main road

http://www.itarda.or.jp/english/info36/next03.html Page 2 of 2 Smooth guidance to the main road can be achieved through the use of additional lane markings leading to the main road. UP Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis (ITARDA)