Politics
Oklahoma weighs ramp-detection systems as families press for wrong-way crash pilots
State officials and lawmakers are evaluating radar and thermal-camera systems that can detect drivers entering highway exit ramps in the wrong direction. Victims of Impaired Drivers is urging Oklahoma to test the technology and strengthen nighttime response resources.
Oklahoma officials are weighing whether to test radar and thermal-camera systems designed to detect wrong-way drivers on highway ramps, after families who lost loved ones in impaired-driving crashes urged lawmakers to act.
The proposed systems can identify vehicles entering an exit ramp against traffic and activate prominent “WRONG WAY” signs. Lawmakers were briefed on approaches used in other states, but the Oklahoma Department of Transportation cautioned that the equipment would require ongoing upkeep.
“Nothing is set-it-and-forget-it,” said Kendal Theisen, ODOT’s state traffic engineer, who cited maintenance costs as a concern. Theisen said even one roadway death is too many.
Oklahoma has as many as 70,000 collisions a year, and wrong-way crashes account for less than 1%, according to ODOT. Though uncommon, the crashes are often catastrophic.
The study was organized by Victims of Impaired Drivers, an advocacy group whose co-founders, Jeff and Kristy Murrow, lost their 19-year-old daughter in 2020 to an impaired wrong-way driver. Jeff Murrow said her death has affected family members and friends, and the group is working to spare other families a similar loss.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said many reports of wrong-way drivers come in between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Lt. Mark Southall emphasized enforcement and said more troopers are needed to improve response times during those hours.
As lawmakers look toward the next legislative session, VOID is asking for resources for responders and a pilot program on a selected stretch of road to test and evaluate the technology. “Put together a pilot program on a stretch of road,” co-founder Kristy Murrow said, and assess how the systems perform.
A wrong-way driving violation in Oklahoma can bring a $250 fine. Penalties can rise substantially when a crash causes injuries or deaths.