How do I Avoid a Collision with a Car Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road?

Accidents caused due to the mistake of others can be disastrous. If a survey has to be believed, very few accidents are caused due to collision with cars driving on the wrong side of the road. Though the stats suggest that such events are rare, when they do occur, the damaged caused is tremendous.

Tips to Avoid a Collision

Driving on the wrong side is against the law; however you will still find people doing so. Even though you are in an emergency situation, driving on the wrong side of the road should be completely avoided.

Correct Yourself

If you see a driver driving on the wrong side, it is likely that he will pull over to the right lane i.e. the slow lane. Though this is done out of ignorance, you should try to save yourself. Get to the right side of the wrong and pull over. You can wait till the car has passed you and then begin driving.

Use High Beams

Getting the other driver’s attention is a must. You can honk to grab their attention, however this attempt may become futile if the other speeding away too fast. The other option can be to flash your high beams. Continuously keep doing this, until the driver realizes he is driving on the wrong side of the road, and will soon get into a collision, if he doesn’t pull over.

Call for Help

If all your attempts fail, you should immediately call for help before any unfortunate event takes place. Call 911 and report the incident. This way the authorities will be able to avoid any accident that may be caused. Once you have arranged for such assistance, you can get back to your vehicle and continue driving. 

Such accidents, though rare, can be fatal. You need to be alert while driving, and if you spot any such incident, kindly report it.  As per National Transportation Safety Board, such accidents occur during night and during weekends. There can be navigation system alerts that inform drivers of wrong way movements on the highway, so that safety can be enhanced.