4 Things to Know About Wrong Way Automobile Wrecks in Georgia
Just after midnight on December 21, 2025, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department responded to the scene of a multi-vehicle crash on the GA 10 Inner Loop. Police discovered that a Kia Seltos was traveling in the wrong direction, collided with a Mercedes, and then struck a Ford Expedition before ultimately crashing head-on into a Toyota Camry. The Kia then came to a stop and caught fire, killing the driver.
While the people in the Mercedes and Ford vehicles escaped the wreck with non-life-threatening injuries, the occupants of the Toyota Camry were not so fortunate. The 25-year-old driver died on impact. His wife, carrying their unborn child, was a passenger and taken to a local hospital. After several days in intensive care, she and the unborn child also died.
Tragedies such as this one illustrate the danger of wrong way automobile wrecks. While less common than other types of auto accidents, such as rear-end collisions, a wrong-way crash is often more likely to result in fatalities. With that background, here are four things you should know about wrong way car wrecks in Georgia.
1. Drunk Driving Is Often the Cause
A 2011 analysis by the United States National Transportation Board found that “[m]ore than half, and possibly as many as three-quarters, or wrong-way drivers are impaired by alcohol.” Indeed, about 59 percent of wrong-way drivers included in the NTSB’s analysis had a blood-alcohol content of 0.15 percent, which is nearly twice the legal limit for drunk driving in Georgia.
2. Older Drivers Are More Susceptible to Wrong Way Driving
Although the driver in the fatal wrong-way accident described above was reportedly just 26 years old, statistically speaking it is older drivers, specifically those over 70, who are more likely to be at-fault for such collisions. This is not to say that older drivers are inherently more reckless or less safe than younger drivers. But for certain older drivers, decline in cognitive and physical abilities created an increased risk that they will mistakenly drive the wrong way on a public road.
3. Wrong-Way Accidents Are More Likely at Night
The fatal Athens accident occurred around midnight. This is consistent with the general pattern of wrong-way accidents occurring during evening hours. The NTSB’s analysis found that 78 percent of all fatal wrong-way accidents took place between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
4. Poor Road Design May Be a Contributing Factor
While drivers are ultimately responsible for making sure they drive on the right side of the road, there are wrong-way collisions where poor road design proved to be a factor. In particular, if an onramp is not marked clearly or there is a general lack of signage on a road, an unfamiliar driver may inadvertently find themselves driving the wrong way.
Contact an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer
If you, or someone in your family, has been harmed by the reckless acts of a wrong-way driver, it is important to seek out legal advice from a qualified Atlanta car accident lawyer. Contact Morain & Buckelew, LLC, today at (404) 448-3146 to schedule a free consultation.
Source:
ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SIR1201.pdf