A few minutes after 11pm on June 28, a collision occurred on the interstate that resulted in one seriously injured and taken to the hospital. A Ford F-150 was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Interstate 70 in Jackson County, Missouri, when it came across a Lincoln MKX. The Ford smashed into the Lincoln, hitting the vehicle so hard it skidded off the roadway and into a concrete barrier.
No injuries to the driver or any potential occupants of the Ford truck were noted, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s preliminary report. However, the driver and an occupant of the Lincoln were injured—one of whom was seriously injured and taken to a local hospital for treatment following the collision.
Wrong-way crashes are among the most dangerous types of traffic accidents. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), while wrong-way incidents represent a small fraction of total accidents, they are far more likely to result in fatalities or serious injuries. A 2021 study by AAA found that there were over 2,000 deaths caused by wrong-way driving crashes in a recent five-year period, with impaired driving and late-night hours being major contributing factors.
Interstate 70 is a heavily traveled corridor through Missouri, and late-night driving conditions can make it especially difficult to detect vehicles traveling in the wrong direction until it is too late to avoid a collision. High speeds combined with the sudden appearance of an oncoming vehicle often leave little time for drivers to react safely.
