VIRGINIA'S CRASH PROGRAM TO REDUCE WRONG-WAY DRIVING

Over a 4-year period beginning in 1970, wrong-way incidents and accidents were reduced on Virginia's interstate highways by 50 percent and on noninterstate four-lane divided highways by 70 percent. However, since 1975 an upward trend has been observed on interstate roads, while the downward trend has continued on noninterstate roads. This paper discusses the following engineering measures taken to reduce wrong-way driving: using reflectorized pavement arrows on ramps, eliminating pavement flares, providing stop lines across exit ramps near junctions with crossroads, continuing the pavement edge line across exit ramps, continuing double yellow lines on two-lane divided crossroads opposite exit ramps, reducing crossover width across exit ramps, adding guidance to local drivers on new interchanges, informing the driver of the geometry of the intersection before he or she enters it, and providing guidance for drivers at T-intersections without a crossover. /Author/