Wrong-way drivers on motorways up by third in last 4 years

The warning follows a fatal incident on the M6 near Charnock Richard services on October 26, where a man in his 50s died after driving the wrong way and colliding head-on with another vehicle.

Two men in their 40s were seriously injured and taken to hospital.

According to National Highways data, there were 947 reported incidents of “oncoming vehicles” on England’s motorways in the 12 months to May 11, up from 729 four years earlier.

Charnock Richard services (Image: Google)

That amounts to an average of 18 wrong-way driving incidents every week.

Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: "To think anyone could drive the wrong way onto a motorway heading into fast-moving traffic is truly the stuff of nightmares.

"The fact that nearly 1,000 drivers did just that in the last twelve months both chills the blood and makes the case for demanding our highway engineers up their game to prevent drivers mistaking the off-ramp for a slip road.

"Whether the answer lies in re-configuring junctions or in technology – slip-road sensors that trigger roadside warnings or in-vehicle alerts – there’s clearly work to be done to establish what’s going wrong and to fix it."

The figures from National Highways were released following a Freedom of Information request and cover reports made by police, traffic officers, and the public.

The most recent annual total is three per cent lower than the previous year’s 974 incidents.

AA president Edmund King said: "Incidents of vehicles travelling the wrong way on motorways are mainly caused by driver impairment including by drink, drugs, and fatigue."

He said these accidents often occur when drivers "blindly following their sat nav and take the instructions of ‘third on the right’ literally," leading them to turn onto an exit slip road instead of an entry.

Mr King said: "Many people assume tourists from other countries who drive on the right are the main cause but more often the culprits are impaired local drivers.

"In rare, and sometimes fatal cases, drivers trying to avoid the police take a deliberate decision to go the wrong way."

Wrong-way driving incidents on motorways in England (Image: PA Wire)

He called for more public awareness and investment in warning technology, both roadside and in-vehicle.

National Highways said every report of an oncoming vehicle prompts immediate action.

A spokesperson said: "Safety is our top priority, which is why every report of an oncoming vehicle triggers an immediate response to protect road users.

"This can include using roadside signals to warn drivers and reducing speed limits where necessary.

"Confirmed incidents of wrong‑way driving on motorways remain rare.

"Every report is treated seriously and acted on quickly."

In a separate incident, two men died in a head-on collision involving a wrong-way driver on the M90 in Scotland on April 17.

The driver going in the wrong direction was 44 years old, while the other was 20.