Wrong-way death crash prompts ‘risky’ junctions review
Measures could be taken to reduce risk at dangerous road junctions, including new warning signs and markings, after three people died in smash
A revamp of ‘risky’ road junctions is on the cards following a fatal wrong-way crash.
The Times reports that new road signs and markings could be introduced at dangerous junctions after a fatal accident on the M40 earlier this month. A Subaru Forester towing a caravan went the wrong way down the motorway and collided with two other vehicles.
The Subaru driver, John Norton, 80, and his partner, Olive Howard, 87, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, were killed in the crash. Thirty-two-year-old Stuart Richards, from Stockport, Cheshire, who was behind the wheel of a Ford Mondeo that was hit head-on, also died in the accident on October 15.
It’s believed the new signs and markings would be designed to deter drivers from entering motorways from the wrong direction. The Times reports the Subaru joined the M40 via an A-road crossing over the motorway, with access via a T-junction. The paper says several ‘no entry’ signs are placed on the slip road.
Speaking to The Times, a spokesperson for Highways England said: “Safety is our first priority and we monitor our network for locations with a high risk of wrong-way driving. Where a junction is identified we look to introduce additional measures such as installing ‘no entry’ signs or street lights or improving road markings to help drivers.
“We are actively reviewing in light of the recent M40 incident. We are also undertaking wider international research examining the effectiveness of mitigation measures used across Europe and in the United States.”
