I-70 Accident Involving Wrong-Way Driver & Semi-Truck Leaves 1 Dead

January 10, 2021 — Indianapolis, Indiana

According to Indiana State Police (ISP), a wrong-way driver has tragically lost their life after colliding head-on with an eastbound semi-truck on I-70 near Holt Road.

Initial reports indicate that the collision occurred Sunday morning around 1 a.m. The force of the crash resulted in both vehicles leaving the interstate and careen down an embankment toward a residential area near W. Wyoming St. and S. Warman Ave.

Shortly after the collision, a fire broke out, and matters were complicated by the fact that the semi-truck had been carrying a trailer full of fireworks, which eventually added to the overall blaze.

ISP stated that the semi-truck driver was able to free himself from his rig, but he was later taken to a local area hospital to be checked out for any potential injuries. Sadly, the driver of the passenger vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

At the time of this report, authorities had yet to determine why the driver of the passenger vehicle had been traveling in the wrong direction. They have also shut down the section of I-70 where the accident occurred and it expected it would remain closed for several hours.

Boulton Law Group receives accident reporting from newswires and authorities throughout Indiana and will continue to monitor this story for any future updates.

Common Causes of Wrong-Way Accidents

Until ISP finishes their official investigation of the above accident, we will not speculate what may have been the cause of this collision, however, wrong-way accidents throughout the United States can occur due to any number of factors, such as:

• Fatigue – The risk of wrong-way accidents increases when one or more driver is suffering from fatigue.
• Missing or changed signage – If an area is under construction, the configuration of a road may be altered which can lead to confusion or mistakes on the part of one driver.
• Driving under the influence – A number of wrong-way accidents throughout the U.S. have occurred after one or more drivers are found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Distraction – Distracted driving continues to be a leading cause of all types of car accidents, including wrong-way collisions.
• Medication mishaps – Wrong-way accidents have occurred after a driver was found to have missed or taken the wrong prescription medication.
• Confusion – There have also been a number of wrong-way accidents that involved elderly drivers who became confused or lost.
• Bad weather – Inclement weather has also been found to be a contributing factor to wrong-way accidents.
• Eyesight – Wrong-way collisions have also occurred because a driver was not wearing their required eyeglasses or contacts.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), an average of 300-400 people are involved in fatal wrong-way accidents. They define a wrong-way collision as one that occurs on a high-speed divided highway or interstate and/or an access ramp.

And while this number may seem small, the consequences of a wrong-way collision are typically much more severe due to the speeds and potential involvement of larger vehicles.

It should also be noted, that a head-on collision that occurs in locations such as side streets and/or rural roads are not included in wrong-way crash data.

Author Matt Boulton

Attorney Matt Boulton is an award-winning personal injury attorney with more than 25 years of experience helping seriously injured people throughout Indiana. He designed his firm for the client who expects exceptional service and passionate, successful legal representation.

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