A potential accident in North Haven Wednesday night was averted thanks to the state’s new wrong-way driving detection system.
The North Haven Police Department posted on Facebook Thursday that wrong-way driving warning signs in Connecticut prevented a crash on Interstate 91.
Josh Morgan, public information director for the Connecticut Department of Transportation, said the signs have saved 55 lives over the past year, including last night’s accident.
Police say a lost driver was traveling the wrong way up an exit ramp onto I-91.
“Yesterday we had a driver who corrected the accident on their own, and because they corrected the accident themselves and came down the ramp, one or more lives were saved,” Morgan said.
Morgan added that the province has received $40 million to implement and install wrong-way driving detection systems, with more planned through 2025.
“There are currently more than 60 systems online, with more than 100 expected to be operational by the end of this year and approaching 200 by the end of 2025.”
One driver in North Haven said the signs helped him avoid an accident.
“I was on Whitney Avenue trying to turn left onto Wilbur Cross Parkway, but the on-ramp and off-ramp were next to each other so I turned too early. I got about 50 feet down and realized I was going the wrong way.”
He said even with signs in place, there was a good chance drivers would get lost.
“When you turn, there’s cars coming towards you and you can make a wrong decision very quickly, so I think it’s natural that that would happen.”
Another driver said he believes this is a good investment the state should continue.
“Anything we can do to prevent people from going the wrong way on the highway seems like it would help, so I think it makes a lot of sense to do that,” Amy Humphreys said.
