Assemblyman Looking For Ways To Prevent Wrong-Way Crashes After Three Fatal Incidents This Year

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — With nearly a dozen lives lost to wrong-way drivers in the span of three months, an Assemblyman is asking CalTrans and the California Highway Patrol to study the issue.

Three accidents in 2015 along Sacramento-area freeways have left friends and family in mourning.

"It's like we're seeing and hearing about these more frequent than normal, and they're tragic," said Assemblyman Freddie Rodriguez. "People are dying from these types of accidents."

A system used in Florida and Texas features sensors to tell if a car is going the wrong way on a highway, immediately notifying law enforcement and activating signs.

"We want to do our part to ensure that we keep Californians safe along the roadways and part of that is yes, looking at new technologies, we're talking with industry partners, fellow agencies in other states trying to figure out what technologies they're using and have they had any luck," he said.

And while the sensor technology and flashing signs may need major funding, what doesn't seem to be a costly endeavor is simply warning other drivers on electronic signs that a wrong-way driver is in the area.

A CHP spokesperson says it works in Caltrans to get information on the boards, but had no comment as to why they haven't put wrong-way driver warnings on them. Cal Trans says every time a crash happens, it surveys the area and checks to see if there is something more that can be done.