One of the basic fundamentals of driving anywhere in the world is to make sure you drive on the correct side of the road. In the UK, for example, you would drive on the left side of the road, while in the United States, it is the right side.
You would think that incidents of wrong-direction driving are quite rare. However, in the UK, National Highways has reported a surge in wrong-direction driving in the country, particularly on the motorways, which can result in major accidents and will likely cause fatalities.
Reports show that there have been nearly 950 incidents in the past 12 months to 11th May 2026, which is an increase from the 729 incidents it was four years ago. The data was released to news outlets under a freedom of information request from the Press Association.
The police, traffic officers and the public have all reported wrong-way driving, and accidents have been reported over the past year that have sadly claimed the lives of those in the cars. The AA, one of Britain’s leading motoring associations and recovery operators, stated that driver impairment is to blame.
How Bad Has the Wrong-Direction Driving Become in the UK?
The figures revealed by National Highways in the UK present a worrying picture. Four years ago, there were roughly 729 incidents involving a driver going the wrong way on the motorway. Since then, that number has risen to around 947, equivalent to roughly 18 incidents per week. That is quite the increase.
Members of the public, as well as the police and traffic officers, have all reported on the incidents. These incidents can lead to fatal consequences. On April 17h, two male drivers died after their cars crashed on the M90 near Kinross in Scotland. In October 2025, a man in his 50s died after he drove the wrong way near Charnock Richard Services on the M6 motorway. The passenger and driver of the car he crashed into were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, called for motorway designers to do more to stop drivers making mistakes. “To think anyone could drive the wrong way onto a motorway heading into fast-moving traffic is truly the stuff of nightmares,” he said. It is certainly a terrifying thought that you could be driving along, and then suddenly a car emerges in front of you heading in the wrong direction.
Why Have There Been So Many Wrong-Direction Incidents?
Edmund King, the president of the AA, said that it was driver impairment that was the main cause of the incidents. “Driver impairment, including by drink, drugs and fatigue,” he told British publication The Telegraph. Drivers turning mistakenly onto an exit slip road, instead of an entry slip road, can also be an instigator. This can happen at night, in poor weather, or if they are confused or following their sat nav and taking everything it says as gospel.
There are some instances, however, where this isn’t an accident. “In rare, and sometimes fatal cases, drivers trying to avoid the police take a deliberate decision to go the wrong way,” said King. The AA president has urged drivers in the UK to pay close attention at motorway junctions, and for technology to be developed to help prevent incidents like this from happening.