Wrong-Way Driving In Maryland: How To Spot It, React And Report It

CALIFORNIA, Md. — Headlights appearing directly ahead on a divided highway leave a driver only seconds to respond. Wrong-way crashes are rare compared with other collisions, but they are disproportionately deadly because they are almost always head-on and at highway speed.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that “between 2010 and 2018, there were 2,921 fatal wrong-way crashes resulting in 3,885 deaths — an average of 430 deaths per year” on U.S. divided highways, up from the roughly 360 a year the National Transportation Safety Board counted in the previous decade. Maryland drivers from the Baltimore-Washington corridor to Southern Maryland’s divided routes such as Route 4, Route 5 and Indian Head Highway have seen the consequences on their own roads.

Recognizing A Wrong-Way Vehicle

A wrong-way encounter is confusing, particularly after dark, because the brain expects taillights ahead, not headlights. Watch for headlights that appear to be in your lanes, vehicles ahead braking or swerving suddenly and anything inconsistent with the normal direction of travel.

Do not assume the other driver will recognize the mistake and move. Focus on controlling your own vehicle and creating distance. This is why attention matters even on familiar roads; distraction consumes the few seconds available to react. The Maryland Transportation Authority Police, which patrols the state’s toll facilities, puts it simply: “Park the Phone.” Never text or talk on the phone while driving.

What To Do When A Vehicle Is Coming At You

Slow down while maintaining control, and move away from the vehicle’s path as soon as you can safely do so. Avoid abrupt maneuvers that could cause you to lose control or strike another vehicle. Scan for an escape route rather than fixating on the approaching car, and be ready for unpredictable movement from the other driver.

Stay right. The NTSB found that “most wrong-way collisions occur in the lane closest to the median,” because a wrong-way driver who entered via an exit ramp is on what they perceive as the right side of the road. Law enforcement guidance cited in the NTSB report recommends “driving in the right lanes” as the best defense, especially late at night on divided highways.

Use the horn or headlights only if it does not interfere with controlling your vehicle, and never attempt to stop, follow or confront the wrong-way motorist. Once out of immediate danger, have a passenger call 911, or stop in a safe location and call yourself.

Reduce Your Risk Before Trouble Appears

Defensive habits improve your options. Look well down the road rather than only at the car in front of you, keep space around your vehicle for evasive action, and avoid lingering beside other vehicles when you can create room. Adjust speed for darkness, rain and fog, which shorten the distance at which you can identify a threat.

Buckle up on every trip. The MDTA Police reminder is “Buckle Up: Every Seat, Every Time,” and a head-on crash is exactly the scenario in which a belt makes the difference.

Be Especially Alert Around Ramps And Divided Roads

Wrong-way driving is most dangerous where opposing traffic is normally separated, because no one expects an oncoming vehicle. Maryland’s interstates, divided state routes and complex interchanges mean drivers may encounter unfamiliar ramps, especially away from home. Follow posted signs and pavement markings rather than relying only on a navigation app. The state’s engineering standards address the hazard directly: the Maryland Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices has dedicated sections on “Wrong-Way Traffic Control at Interchange Ramps” for both conventional roads and freeways, in addition to standard “WRONG WAY” and “ONE WAY” signage.

If you miss an exit or turn, continue until you can legally and safely change course. Never reverse on a highway, cross a median or make an illegal turn to correct a mistake.

What If You Enter A Road In The Wrong Direction?

A driver who realizes the mistake should not keep going in hopes of finding a turnaround. Slow down, get out of active travel lanes when it is safe, stop in the safest available spot, turn on hazard lights and call for help if needed. Do not make a sudden U-turn across traffic or back down a ramp.

Approaching unfamiliar interchanges at a manageable speed and reading signs before committing to a turn reduces the chance of the error. When an electronic device’s directions conflict with signs or traffic controls, obey the signs.

Reporting A Wrong-Way Driver In Maryland

Once you can communicate safely, call 911 and give the dispatcher the road name or route number, your location, the direction the wrong-way vehicle was traveling and a basic vehicle description if you saw one. A nearby exit, cross street or landmark helps responders find the vehicle. Do not chase the driver to gather more information.

Maryland drivers cannot control whether another motorist makes a dangerous mistake, but they can control their readiness. Staying attentive, keeping to the right on late-night highway drives, leaving room to maneuver and knowing what to tell 911 make the most of the seconds available. The MDTA Police support Maryland’s Zero Deaths campaign, a partnership to save lives and prevent injuries on Maryland’s roadways, which states that “Maryland takes a data-driven approach to reach our goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries.”

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