Technology to prevent wrong-way highway crashes is proven to work. Mass. should implement changes quickly.
Massachusetts Senate unanimously approved a plan requiring MassDOT to develop a strategy to reduce wrong-way crashes using detection and alert systems, following a deadly incident. Rhode Island’s similar measures, including flashing red lights and better signage, reduced fatalities by 87.5% over five years, proving the technology’s effectiveness at high-risk off-ramps.
Massachusetts lawmakers are accelerating efforts to prevent wrong-way highway crashes after a recent high-profile fatal incident. On May 21, the state Senate voted unanimously to direct the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) to create a plan incorporating detection and alert systems, following a deadly crash that killed Trooper Kevin Trainor on May 6. The move comes as data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows 5,730 U.S. fatalities from wrong-way crashes on divided highways between 2014 and 2023. Rhode Island’s success offers a model for Massachusetts. Since 2015, Rhode Island installed 32 high-tech alert systems at vulnerable off-ramps, using radar-triggered flashing red lights to warn drivers. The state also added lower, more visible ‘wrong way’ signage and flexible highway delineators to improve visibility. Over 1,000 wrong-way incidents were detected, with most drivers correcting course immediately. Rhode Island recorded eight wrong-way fatalities in the five years before 2015 but went a decade without any until two recent incidents occurred at equipped off-ramps. Massachusetts faces a significant problem: 5,506 wrong-way crashes occurred between 2018 and 2025, averaging nearly 700 annually, with 135 fatalities. Springfield and Worcester were identified as the state’s most dangerous cities for such crashes. The proposed plan includes a mix of low-tech solutions—better signage, lighting, and lane markings—and high-tech systems like those in Rhode Island, which cost about $75,000 per location. Steven Pristawa, Rhode Island’s traffic safety engineer, emphasized that no single solution fits all scenarios. Basic engineering changes, such as adding delineators, often provide cost-effective improvements. The state prioritizes high-risk locations, particularly those near urban areas with higher nightlife activity and increased impairment risks. Massachusetts lawmakers are pushing for rapid implementation, citing the proven effectiveness of Rhode Island’s approach. The Senate’s amendment reflects growing urgency to deploy these life-saving measures before more tragedies occur.
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