Wrong Way Driver on 75 in Detroit Kills 3

**belleislerunner** · January-04-17, 09:07 AM

Since this seems to happen at least once or twice a year - where a wrong way driver on 75 kills someone - I was thinking about how to prevent such instances from occurring.

Normally these drivers get on from a downtown/midtown exit [[though they could be anywhere) - leaving a casino/bar etc.

Could one solution be for the state be to install those metal spikes you see at AVIS/Hertz when you return a car that allows everyone exiting a freeway to drive over them [[at a safer speed to the surface drive) while giving a flat tire to anyone who tried to enter the freeway the wrong way down an on ramp.

I'm sure today they can be programmed so if an emergency vehicle needs to go down an on ramp they can - but it would prevent tragedies like this from taking innocent lives. The drivers in the other car could have been any of us.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2017/01/...75-in-detroit/

**Meddle** · January-04-17, 09:10 AM

Stupidity in planning roads can't outsmart stupidity in driving on them.

**Vic01** · January-04-17, 09:40 AM

That sounds like a great idea... except for the $$,$$$,$$$ cost involved. BTW it's not only I-75, wrong way drivers happen on US 23, I-94, etc. To install spikes at all entrances would be a huge expense...
We can't even come up with funds to properly fix the crumbling roads and bridges

**Zacha341** · January-04-17, 10:11 AM

^^^ Spikes in the road?!! WHAT? That's already enforced ala the shape of our roads and crap laying in them!

Horrific accident. I am sure the crash was heard by many nearby.

Someone was ejected as is usually the case when seat belts are not used, even in less severe accidents.

**Jimaz** · January-04-17, 11:20 AM

Maybe smartcars will be able to detect the situation and kill the engine. That sounds a whole lot cheaper.

I knew of a case where someone accidentally drove over spikes like that. It took out all four tires!

**Vic01** · January-04-17, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

...I knew of a case where someone accidentally drove over spikes like that. It took out all four tires!

I believe that was belleislerunner's intent... driving down an exit the wrong way = 4 flat tires.

**emu steve** · January-05-17, 03:50 AM

Originally Posted by belleislerunner

Since this seems to happen at least once or twice a year - where a wrong way driver on 75 kills someone - I was thinking about how to prevent such instances from occurring.

Normally these drivers get on from a downtown/midtown exit [[though they could be anywhere) - leaving a casino/bar etc.

Could one solution be for the state be to install those metal spikes you see at AVIS/Hertz when you return a car that allows everyone exiting a freeway to drive over them [[at a safer speed to the surface drive) while giving a flat tire to anyone who tried to enter the freeway the wrong way down an on ramp.

I'm sure today they can be programmed so if an emergency vehicle needs to go down an on ramp they can - but it would prevent tragedies like this from taking innocent lives. The drivers in the other car could have been any of us.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2017/01/...75-in-detroit/

I picked out two things:

1). It happened at 4:00 a.m. when it was pitch dark,

2). The driver was from 40 miles away [[New Baltimore).

What scares ME as a driver is driving very late at night and being where I may not be familiar.

These are most likely human error will occur.

**Zacha341** · January-05-17, 05:57 AM

^^^ Yes, I'm still trying to figure out how she got on I-75 southbound, heading north from the Lafayette exit angle. Then once your are on how do you not know it's a mistake: the freeway concrete median wall is on the right instead of the left, the grass inclines and freeway wall is on your left, not the right? Totally opposite the normal orientation for most highways.

Very sad, loss of life and hard on the first-responders who have to come upon such carnage.

**Meddle** · January-05-17, 06:40 AM

No spikes, but maybe catch nets like on aircraft carriers.

But again, the costs of installation and maintenance would be prohibitive.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · January-05-17, 08:21 AM

Don't know how true this is, but I heard on radio talk show, she deliberately did this, she was possibly committing suicide. Disheartening, she took 2 other lives with her.

**Scottathew** · January-05-17, 09:18 AM

The only way to defeat dumb and drunk drivers is to go to driver-less cars.

**canuck** · January-05-17, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

Don't know how true this is, but I heard on radio talk show, she deliberately did this, she was possibly committing suicide. Disheartening, she took 2 other lives with her.

The scary thing is she is one if three to drive against the traffic on I-75 during the holidays. http://www.freep.com/story/news/loca...roit/96015430/

And then this young woman with her 4 month old baby killed a woman and herself by switching directions on the highway. She had been stopped for doing the same thing in August.
https://www.google.ca/amp/www.mlive...._crash_had.amp

**Honky Tonk** · January-05-17, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by belleislerunner

Since this seems to happen at least once or twice a year - where a wrong way driver on 75 kills someone - I was thinking about how to prevent such instances from occurring.

Normally these drivers get on from a downtown/midtown exit [[though they could be anywhere) - leaving a casino/bar etc.

Could one solution be for the state be to install those metal spikes you see at AVIS/Hertz when you return a car that allows everyone exiting a freeway to drive over them [[at a safer speed to the surface drive) while giving a flat tire to anyone who tried to enter the freeway the wrong way down an on ramp.

I'm sure today they can be programmed so if an emergency vehicle needs to go down an on ramp they can - but it would prevent tragedies like this from taking innocent lives. The drivers in the other car could have been any of us.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2017/01/...75-in-detroit/

Absolutely horrific. How smashed are you not to realize you're on the wrong side of the freeway?

**WKL** · January-05-17, 11:01 AM

They had a highway patrol officer on a local station out here in CA. His advice was if you're driving on the freeway in the middle of the night stay in the right lane. Drunks who enter the freeway going the wrong way tend to end up in the left lane - they think they are in the right lane. Frequently they forget to turn their headlights on, so stay out of the the left lanes unless you can see tail lights in front of you.

**JBMcB** · January-06-17, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by 48307

The only way to defeat dumb and drunk drivers is to go to driver-less cars.

In Germany, if they catch you driving drunk, you loose your license forever. If they catch you driving without a license, they take your car and you go to jail.

They don't screw around.