ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, between 2004 and 2011, 11 people died as a result of wrong-way driver crashes on metro Atlanta highways.
But experts say it is a national problem, and Texas and Wisconsin are among the states leading the way in looking for solutions.
Both states have started pilot programs involving systems that detect wrong-way drivers.
The systems used in each state are different, but both utilize sensors installed on roads and signs as well as GPS and wireless technology to notify police and first responders when and where a wrong-way driver has entered the roadway.
Jill Goldberg is a GDOT spokesperson.
She says GDOT's No. 1 goal is to make sure the state's roads are safe, but she says it's not clear if either warning system would work in Atlanta.
"It's very early in with both of them and the Texas Department of Transportation is not scheduled to complete its study until two years from today," Goldberg said.
Goldberg says one wrong-way fatality is too many, but she says the cost of installing a warning system may be cost prohibitive given the number of wrong-way fatalities every year and GDOT's other priorities.
"Approximately 80 percent of wrong-way drivers do not result in any incident let alone a fatality. They are either able to get off the road or get turned around prior to anything happening. There is a very small percentage that results in either an incident of fatality," said Goldberg.
Texas spent approximately $500,000 to implement ramp-only warning systems at 14 interchanges. GDOT says to do the same thing in metro Atlanta could cost millions. Officials say justifying the cost of such a project could be difficult given GDOT's other priorities.
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