After crash that killed state trooper, Mass. Senate votes to expand wrong-way driving detection

The Massachusetts Senate approved a measure on Thursday to expand the state’s wrong-way driving detection technology, responding to a fatal collision on Route 1 that killed State Trooper Kevin Trainor and a Roslindale driver in May. The legislation, attached to the state’s $63 billion budget plan, requires MassDOT to enhance detection systems with real-time alerts and install directional striping on access ramps to prevent future incidents. The pilot program, launched in 2022, tested a $2.6 million detection system across 16 high-risk points in the state. The new law mandates a broader rollout, including warning devices and police notifications when wrong-way drivers are detected. Senator Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester Republican who sponsored the bill, cited a 2025 fatal crash involving Gloucester High School hockey captain Christopher Dailey as a key motivator for the legislation. Trainor, a 30-year veteran of the Massachusetts State Police, was responding to a call about a Jeep traveling south in northbound lanes near the Lynnfield overpass when the collision occurred around 2 a.m. on May 6. The Senate’s swift passage followed the tragedy, with Tarr emphasizing the need to minimize risks despite the difficulty of preventing such incidents entirely. The expanded system will also include public service announcements and a study on roadway safety improvements. Connecticut’s similar detection efforts informed the Massachusetts proposal, which now moves to the House for consideration.