Thanksgiving is a little more than three weeks away, and the holiday travel season runs from there through New Year's. For many Arizona families, that means long drives: to relatives in Tucson or Flagstaff, across the desert to California, or north and east toward family in other states.
Most of what makes a holiday road trip safe is ordinary planning. But a few choices made now, while the calendar is still open, can noticeably lower your exposure to the conditions where wrong-way crashes happen.
Know the conditions that raise risk
Research on wrong-way crashes points to a consistent set of circumstances.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's study of fatal wrong-way crashes on U.S. divided highways from 2014 through 2023 identified elevated risk in darkness and at dawn and dusk, in rural areas, among alcohol-impaired drivers, and among drivers living far from where the crash occurred.
ADOT's wrong-way driving page adds more detail on timing: three out of four wrong-way crashes happen between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., one-third between midnight and 3 a.m., and more than half on weekends. ADOT also reports that two out of three are caused by impaired drivers.
Holiday road trips often involve exactly those conditions: long rural stretches, unfamiliar highways, early darkness, and late-night drives home after a family celebration.
Build the schedule around daylight
The single most useful planning decision is when you drive.
Leave early. Starting in the morning gives you the best chance of finishing in daylight, especially as the days get shorter toward December.
Avoid the overnight push. It is tempting to drive through the night to save a hotel stay or beat traffic. The hours between midnight and 3 a.m. are when a large share of wrong-way crashes occur, and they are also when fatigue is hardest to fight.
Build in a stopping point. On a long trip, decide in advance where you could stop for the night if you fall behind schedule. Having that option makes it easier to use.
Plan the return as carefully as the departure. The drive home after a holiday weekend often starts late, with tired drivers and full cars. Treat it with the same care as the trip out.
Preview the route
Look at the interchanges, not just the highways. Know where you will get on and off, especially in cities you do not know.
Note where you will stop for fuel, food, and rest so you are not searching in the dark.
Read the signs at unfamiliar interchanges rather than following the car ahead. Navigation apps help, but the signs on the road are the final word.
Keep celebrations and driving separate
Holiday gatherings often include alcohol. Decide before the meal who is driving home, and make sure that person stays sober. If anyone has been drinking and plans to drive, offer the guest room, call a ride, or wait.
Hosts can help by serving food and non-alcoholic options, slowing down on alcohol well before the evening ends, and keeping an eye on who is getting behind the wheel.
Share the safety basics in the car
Long drives are a good chance to make sure everyone, especially teen drivers who may take a turn at the wheel, knows the essentials:
- Red signs facing you mean stop. DO NOT ENTER, WRONG WAY, or red reflectors on the pavement mean you are pointed the wrong way.
- If you see headlights coming at you on a divided highway, slow down, steer away to the right when it is clear, get to a safe place, and call 911.
- If you are the one going the wrong way, stop at the edge, turn on your hazard lights, stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on, and call 911. No U-turns on the highway.
- If an overhead sign warns of a wrong-way driver, ADOT advises moving toward the nearest exit as soon as it is safe.
Check the car, too
Clean headlights and windshields, working wipers, and properly aimed lights all help you see signs and markings at night. A quick check before a long trip is time well spent.
Getting everyone home
NMWWD was founded in Phoenix by Nino Mihilli to help prevent wrong-way crashes through awareness, technology, and community. The holidays are about the people at the table, and the best way to protect that is to make sure everyone arrives and gets home safely.
If you would like to help us share these basics with more Arizona families this season, get involved or make a donation.
Sources: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Fatal Wrong-Way Crashes on Divided Highways, United States, 2014–2023 · Arizona Department of Transportation — Wrong-Way Drivers