Driving In Indiana Still Safe, Officials Say

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(UNDATED) - While authorities determine if the motorist driving the wrong way on I-465 this weekend was impaired, Indiana Department of Transportation officials say highway driving in Indiana is still one of the safest ways to travel.

INDOT spokesperson Megan Kaderavek says although there have been 3 wrong-way driving accidents in the last 3 weeks, they account for 3 out of 10 wrong-way accidents since 2003. Kaderavek says these types of accidents are few and far between, but get a lot of attention because they do end very tragically.

Indiana adheres to very strict federal guidelines when marking highways as well as on-off ramps with signs to indicate direction of travel. Kaderavek says typically the signage works and drivers correct their mistakes.

Wrong-way accidents most often occur at night when visibility is an issue and impaired driving is more frequent. 2am is the statistical time when most accidents of this type occur.

INDOT officials take all fatalities on highways very seriously and will determine if recent instances could have been avoided. New federal guidelines for new highway construction calls for additional signage and lighting.

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