2 injured in wrong way crash in Cumberland
Both sent to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries
CUMBERLAND, R.I. (WLNE)- A wrong way driver collided head on with another vehicle on 295 near Cumberland this morning.
A total of four vehicles were involved in the incident, as another car and tractor trailer were involved after they crashed trying to avoid the scene.
The drivers involved in the head on collision were both sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
State police believe the crash was caused by a medical issue.
ABC6 spoke with John Lopez, a Johnston resident who travels in this area often to use the bike path just off the highway.
“I’ve been using this path for a long time and it’s always busy around here. With the construction going on near by it can be hard to get in the right lane so you always have to be aware,” Lopez said.
While we haven’t had many recent wrong way accidents, they used to happen much more often.
In response to 13 fatalities and 10 crashes over a 5-year period…the state installed wrong way detection systems at 24-high risk ramps.
In 2015 the state completed a $2 million project to upgrade the signing and striping at about 145 locations.
However, Lopez and others think the highway could use more signage.
“We need more of those. More signs saying this is the wrong way, do not enter, more signs like that.”
While it’s been a while since the last wrong way incident, highway crashes overall are on the rise.
State police have responded to a total of 2160 crashes this year.
240 more accidents compared to this time last year.
