How Is Florida Fighting Wrong-Way Driving?

Since Florida received the dubious honor of being the third worst state in the nation when it comes to wrong-way crash fatalities, authorities have been trying to find new ways to protect the citizens in Florida and keep drivers heading in the right direction. So, how is Florida fighting wrong-way driving? Cutting edge technology, that’s how.

New Highway Safety Technology

At five different expressway exit ramps, state officials are trying out new technology designed to prevent wrong-way crashes. This system combines the use of sensors, light up signs and marquees to keep drivers safer. When vehicles drive the wrong way up the expressway ramp, sensors activate LED lights that flash at drivers to alert them that they are entering the expressway in the wrong direction. If the car continues after the warning, the system notifies the Florida Highway Patrol and then sends a message to electronic marquees along the highway to warn drivers that are going in the right direction. The system has already proven to be a success in the areas where it has been deployed.

How Effective Is The New System?

“You can see the vehicle approaches the beacon, the beacon fires and the vehicle begins to make the turn,” A Central Florida Expressway Authority staffer explains during a press conference. “The technology was even able to pick up a bicyclist going the wrong way on to the expressway ramp at 5 o’clock in the morning.”

This new technology might help change Florida’s rankings in wrong-way crash fatalities statistics, and the Central Florida Expressway Authority is onboard with the change. The Expressway Authority has already approved 32 more sensor systems to be installed all over the state! For more information about Florida traffic accidents, keep reading our blog and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.