Wrong-Way Wrecks Warrant Prevention Discussions in Arizona

Arizona highway safety and transportation officials are trying to figure out how to curb wrong-way accidents on Arizona highways.

The third such fatal head-on accident the Phoenix area in a week killed two people early Sunday. Five other people died in two previous wrong-way wrecks.

The directors of the state Departments of Public Safety and Transportation and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety met Sunday to review the accident and to discuss strategies.

The agencies said they’re focusing on enforcement, engineering and education and that removal of impaired drivers from the highways is the Highway Patrol’s top priority.

ADOT Director John Halikowski says there might not be immediate engineering changes his department can make but that it is looking at practices used elsewhere for possible adoption in Arizona.