On Friday, December 6, 2024, a devastating wrong-way collision occurred on Interstate 55 near Daniel Lake Boulevard in Jackson, Mississippi, taking six lives. According to the Jackson Police Department, the incident happened at about 2:45 a.m. when a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck heading south on the northbound lanes collided head-on with a Hyundai Sonata carrying five passengers.
Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart of Hinds County identified the deceased as Jose Ferragut, 23, from Scott County, the driver of the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, and Henri Perez, 30, from Copiah County, who was operating the Hyundai Sonata. The other fatalities, all from Copiah County, were passengers in the Hyundai Sonata: Angelita Avendano, 34, Ezekiel Perez, 6, Juana Alonzo, 18, and Francisco Lopez, 18. All six victims were declared dead at the accident site.
The Jackson Police Department conveyed its condolences, stating, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims of this tragic event.” The investigation into the factors surrounding the collision continues.
Darnika Mayfield, a Mississippi Highway Patrol officer, underscored the vital importance of adhering to the state’s left-lane passing law as a measure to prevent such collisions. She pointed out that drivers with medical conditions or impairments might incorrectly assume they are on the right path while actually driving in the opposite lane. To mitigate this risk, she stressed the necessity for drivers to stay in the right lane unless passing another vehicle, and to return to the right lane immediately after doing so.
As part of the ongoing investigation, authorities are scrutinizing factors such as potential driver impairment, the state of the road, and the functionality of the vehicles involved in the crash. Although they occur infrequently, wrong-way driving incidents often lead to severe consequences due to the high speeds at which they occur.
The National Transportation Safety Board has previously underscored the hazards of these types of collisions, advocating for preventive strategies like improved signage and road design. Wrong-way driving accidents account for about 3.7% of fatal collisions on divided highways in the United States. These accidents led to an annual average of 500 deaths between 2015 and 2018, representing a 34% increase from the yearly average of 375 deaths between 2010 and 2014.
In Mississippi, the situation is particularly alarming. The state recorded the highest traffic accident fatality rate per 100,000 people in 2020. Factors contributing to these troubling statistics include impaired driving, distracted driving, and inadequate road infrastructure. Most recently, on June 22, 2024, a wrong-way collision on Interstate 55 in Gluckstadt, Mississippi, resulted in one fatality and three injuries.
Wrong-way driving is a significant concern nationwide as well. In November 2024, a wrong-way driver in Southlake, Texas was involved in a collision with multiple vehicles and a subsequent shootout with police.
