Wrong Way Driving Accidents increase in Hillsborough County

Wrong Way Driving Accidents increase in Hillsborough County

According to a recent article, the number of wrong way driving accidents continues to grow in the Tampa area. During the night of April 21 to 22, two auto accidents happened in Hillsborough County.

The first of the two incident occurred when a Florida Highway Patrol spotted a 1994 Honda northbound in the southbound lanes of Dale Mabry Highway under Interstate 275 in Tampa. Luckily, law enforcement was able to stop the driver before an accident could occur. The driver from Pinellas County was charged with a DUI and also cited for driving in the wrong direction. In addition, he was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.

The second incident started when the Florida Highway Patrol was called about southbound wrong-way driver on Interstate 275 in the northbound lanes near Fowler Ave. This time law enforcement was unable to intercept the car – this time a 2011 BMW – before it caused an accident.

In an attempt to not add to the toll of wrong way driving accidents a 2003 Volkswagen merged into another lane to avoid the oncoming car and struck the rear of the Nissan. Drivers of both the Volkswagen and the Nissan had to be taken to a local hospital due to their injuries.

Surprisingly, the driver of the BMW that was driving the wrong way was not impaired. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, “he mistakenly turned onto the wrong ramp and entered the Interstate at Fowler Avenue traveling in the wrong direction.” The wrong way driver was was cited for driving in the wrong direction.