CE-105 Reducing Wrong-Way Crashes on Freeways

Course Description

Wrong-way driving (WWD) on freeways is a rare but highly severe crash type that often results in catastrophic injuries and fatalities. This 6 PDH professional development course provides engineers, transportation planners, and roadway safety professionals with practical, evidence-based strategies to reduce wrong-way crashes on freeways and high-speed divided highways. Reducing Wrong-Way Crashes on Freeways PDH online course is a part of the Civil and Transportation course category.

Based on national research, FHWA guidance, MUTCD standards, and documented case studies, the course examines why wrong-way driving occurs, where it is most likely to happen, and how engineering, signing, pavement markings, geometric design, and advanced technologies can be applied systematically to prevent it. Special emphasis is placed on freeway exit ramps, interchange configurations, frontage roads, and freeway feeders—locations shown to be disproportionately associated with wrong-way entries.

Participants will learn how to apply systemic safety approaches, evaluate high-risk interchange types (including diamond, partial cloverleaf, SPDI, and freeway feeders), and select low-cost, high-impact countermeasures such as DO NOT ENTER and WRONG WAY signage, pavement markings, channelization, raised medians, lighting, and traffic signal configurations. The course also addresses human factors such as impaired and older drivers, nighttime visibility, and driver expectancy.

This course is ideal for civil engineers, transportation engineers, traffic engineers, safety analysts, roadway designers, and public agency professionals responsible for freeway design, traffic control, and safety improvement programs.

Key Topics Covered

• Causes and characteristics of wrong-way driving crashes
• High-risk freeway and interchange configurations
• MUTCD-compliant signing strategies (DO NOT ENTER, WRONG WAY, ONE WAY)
• Pavement markings and enhanced delineation to deter wrong-way entry
• Traffic signal configurations at exit ramp terminals
• Geometric design elements that increase or reduce wrong-way risk
• Raised medians, channelizing islands, and control radius design
• Systemic safety analysis and network-wide countermeasure deployment
• Case studies and real-world applications from U.S. state DOTs

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the primary causes and contributing factors of wrong-way driving crashes on freeways and high-speed divided highways.
• Identify freeway exit ramps and interchange types that are most susceptible to wrong-way entries, including diamond, partial cloverleaf, SPDI, and freeway feeder configurations.
• Apply MUTCD-compliant signing strategies to prevent and mitigate wrong-way movements, including proper placement, sizing, mounting height, and optional enhancements.
• Select appropriate pavement markings and enhanced delineation techniques that reinforce correct travel direction and warn wrong-way drivers, particularly under nighttime conditions.
• Evaluate traffic signal configurations at exit ramp terminals and determine when green arrow indications are preferable to circular green signals.
• Assess geometric design elements—such as ramp angles, channelization, raised medians, control radii, and sight distance—that influence wrong-way driving risk.
• Implement a systemic safety approach to identify high-risk locations and deploy countermeasures even where crash histories are limited.
• Integrate engineering, operational, and human-factor considerations into a comprehensive strategy to reduce wrong-way crashes and associated fatalities.

Who Should Take This Course

• Civil and transportation engineers
• Traffic and safety engineers
• Roadway and interchange designers
• Public agency and DOT professionals
• Consultants involved in highway safety and geometric design
• Engineers seeking PDH credits in transportation or traffic engineering

PDH Credit

• 6 Professional Development Hours (PDH)
• Suitable for licensed Professional Engineers (PEs)
• Supports continuing education requirements in transportation and traffic engineering disciplines
• This course can be used to satisfy both Professional Engineering as well as Traffic Engineering licesne continuing eductation requirements, as mandated by the Transportation Professional Certification Board.