Encountering a vehicle moving against the direction of travel is a more frequent risk than you think: here's what to do if you have the wrong car on the motorway.
There are several reasons why it is forbidden to drive in the direction of travel, the first certainly concerns safety and the risk of a road accident. Since a car in the wrong direction on the highway is a sudden event, let's see what to do and how to behave with the advice of the German Automobile Club.
In Germany alone, more than 1,700 vehicles in the wrong direction on the motorway were reported in 2020, a frightening number, but down 9% from the previous year due to the health emergency. The risk is high, on the motorway as well as on urban roads, so much so that in Italy the fine for a car in the wrong direction captured by cameras cannot be ruled out. According to the data reported by the ADAC, in 2019 there were 61 accidents for cars in the wrong direction: 9 collisions were fatal and with 11 victims. Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Hesse have a negative record among the regions in which more cases of rear-facing vehicles have occurred in Germany. That's why the ADAC has issued a handbook of advice on what to do with a car in the wrong direction, but also how to behave if we happen to take a road against the direction of travel.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU CROSS A CAR AGAINST THE HIGHWAY
Knowing how to behave in a variety of emergencies should be part of every driver's training. Judging by the frequency of cases, a car in the wrong direction is one of them: here's what to do if you cross a vehicle that drives against the direction of travel.
- Decrease the speed;
- Turn on the emergency arrows;
- Drive in the rightmost lane;
- Do not overtake other vehicles;
- Maintain a safe distance from the vehicles in front;
- If possible, use the nearest rest area or exit;
- Avoid engaging the emergency lane;
- Always observe the warning light panels, if present on the highway, which should give useful information in real-time;
- When safe, report the presence of the car by contacting the emergency number 112 and the user numbers of the motorway operators.
DRIVING AGAINST THE HIGHWAY: WHAT TO DO IN THE WRONG DIRECTION
Similar speech if you find yourself driving a car in the wrong direction on the highway by mistake, here's what to do, trying to stay calm and avoid sudden maneuvers:
- Do not in any way attempt to make a U-turn on the motorway ;
- Immediately turn on the emergency arrows and lights (if not already on);
- Drive to the nearest edge of the lane. While it may seem sensible to move into the hard shoulder (left), cutting front traffic sharply could increase the risk of collision with oncoming cars. Therefore it is better to approach the nearest edge without making excessive maneuvers;
- Park the vehicle close to the safety barrier, approaching as close as possible to the quay or guardrail;
- Wear a reflective jacket with reflective tape, also have it worn by all passengers, and let everyone out, including the driver, with extreme attention on the passenger side (away from the traffic of passing cars that will be on the driver's side) and wait behind the barrier. Check that you are not on a viaduct and that there is a safe area beyond the barrier;
- Call the Police at 112, indicating the precise stretch of the motorway, and wait for help.
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