Colorado State Patrol shares tips on how to avoid hitting a wrong-way driver
Colorado State Patrol troopers are bringing awareness to a dangerous trend they are starting to see more of: wrong-way drivers on Colorado highways.
The most recent wrong-way driving incident was reported Sunday night in downtown Denver. A driver was going the wrong way on Park Avenue and Larimer, both one-way streets. The second report was on July 21. This wrong-way crash killed a couple on Highway 285 in Morrison. Troopers say this crash is still under investigation.
Boulder Police is also bringing awareness to this problem by sharing a wrong-way driver video on social media. Police say the driver was on the wrong side of Highway 36 on May 25 around 5:10 a.m. The driver went at speeds up to 110 mph, and several cars had to swerve to avoid a head-on collision. Boulder police say that because of their quick response, no one was hurt. This driver was arrested and now faces charges of DUI, drug possession, and multiple traffic violations.
Troopers with CSP say there are ways to avoid getting hit by a wrong-way driver. First, get off the highway or road immediately. Pull into a shoulder or safe area. Make sure you are out of the lane they are traveling in. Troopers say it does not matter where you are; a wrong-way driver hitting you head-on is always dangerous.
"With drivers going the wrong direction, even if it's the case of them not knowing the area and accidentally making the wrong turn, they could hit a pedestrian using the crosswalks," Colorado State Trooper Gabriel Moltrer said. There could be other vehicles that will not know that you were coming and could cause a head-on collision."
Usually, the way to report any incident is with license plate information. This could be tricky with a wrong-way driver. Troopers say you should call 911 and let them know the exact location. Use a mile marker and direction of travel if it's a highway. Use local attractions or other landmarks if you're in a city.