Few roadway events are as frightening as encountering a vehicle barreling toward you in the wrong direction. Wrong-way driving in McAllen often leaves victims with catastrophic injuries and grieving families searching for answers. If you or someone you love was struck by a driver traveling against the flow of traffic, you have the right to pursue legal action against the person responsible. An experienced McAllen car accident lawyer can help investigate the crash, determine liability, and fight for the compensation you deserve while you focus on recovery.
Leading Causes of Wrong-Way Driving Accidents
Wrong-way collisions almost always trace back to a specific lapse in judgment, awareness, or physical ability behind the wheel. The most common contributing factors include:
- Drunk Driving: Alcohol impairment is one of the largest contributors to wrong-way wrecks. Intoxicated motorists may enter exit ramps, believing they are on-ramps, or cross over a median without recognizing they have entered oncoming lanes.
- Drug-Impaired Driving: Both illegal substances and prescription medications can dull reaction times and distort spatial awareness, leading drivers to travel against traffic without realizing their error.
- Drowsy Driving: Fatigued motorists, especially those driving at night, may fall asleep at the wheel or experience microsleeps that cause them to lose track of their lane position for several seconds at a time. As a result, they can drift across medians or miss directional signs.
- Elderly Drivers with Diminished Vision: Older motorists experiencing cognitive decline or poor night vision sometimes misread signs or experience confusion at unfamiliar interchanges. This may cause them to enter the wrong roadway.
- Distracted Driving: A driver glancing at a phone or GPS may overlook “Do Not Enter” warnings and other visual cues before it is too late.
- Unfamiliarity with the Roadway: Out-of-town drivers navigating complex interchanges can make wrong turns onto highways, especially in poorly lit areas or at intersections where on-ramps and exit ramps sit only a short distance apart.
Serious Injuries Commonly Seen in Wrong-Way Crashes
When two vehicles strike each other while traveling in opposite directions at highway speeds, the combined force can be severe. Victims of wrong-way accidents often suffer from severe and disabling injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Skull fractures
- Spinal cord damage
- Broken ribs
- Punctured lungs
- Internal bleeding
- Severe lacerations
- Facial disfigurement
- Loss of limbs
- Burns from vehicle fires
- Whiplash
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
Determining Liability in a Wrong-Way Collision
In Texas, you have the right to file a lawsuit or insurance claim against the driver who caused your car accident. In most wrong-way cases, the driver traveling against traffic is the at-fault party, but proving liability requires solid evidence.
Several types of evidence can establish what happened and who is responsible, including:
- The official police report documenting the accident
- Chemical test results that confirm alcohol or drug impairment
- Traffic camera footage, toll road recordings, and surveillance video
- Eyewitness statements from other motorists or bystanders
- Analysis from accident reconstruction experts
Were You Injured by a Wrong-Way Driver in McAllen?
A wrong-way crash can change your life. Reclaiming stability requires an advocate willing to fight just as fiercely as you are working to recover. De La Garza Law Firm has guided Texans through the aftermath of wrong-way collisions for years, and we can help you secure the compensation you need to move forward. A trusted McAllen personal injury attorney will handle the legal process, gather critical evidence, and negotiate aggressively on your behalf so you can focus on healing. Call us today or reach out via our online contact form for a confidential case review.
