Wrong-Way Interstate Crash Claims Two Lives

Two drivers were killed in a Dauphin County head-on wreck caused by a driver going the wrong way on I-283.

The deadly accident happened in the early morning hours of February 4 in Lower Swatara Township near the Turnpike interchange.

Motor vehicle crashes involving wrong-way drivers cause nearly 400 fatalities each year, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. About 22 percent of wrong-way automobile crashes are fatal – compared with less than one percent of all other crashes.

This is from WGAL News 8:

Investigators said the driver of a silver Hyundai Accent was traveling northbound in the southbound lanes. The Hyundai hit a Volkswagen Jetta head-on.

Neither car had any passengers and the drivers died on impact, state police said. The driver the Volkswagen was a 59-year-old man from the Jonestown area.

“With both drivers being deceased and us not having any witnesses at this time, we don’t know exactly why the driver may have been traveling in the wrong direction. Hopefully, we can figure it out,” said Trooper Rob Hicks. Interstate 283 southbound was closed for about three hours.

Here are some other wrong-way auto crash statistics:

• Fifteen percent of wrong-way wrecks involve drivers who are older than 70 years old.
• Drunk drivers are responsible for 60 percent of wrong-way crashes.
• Ten percent of wrong-way accidents are caused by repeat offenders.