After another wrong-way crash on Route 1, some Mass. lawmakers look to Connecticut for guidance

Video captured by a gas station's surveillance camera shows a car traveling south in the northbound lane of Route 1 early Sunday morning, minutes before police say the driver hit a state trooper's cruiser in Peabody, Massachusetts. Both men were injured but have already been released from the hospital.

The driver, Lucas DiBenedetto, is expected to be arraigned on multiple motor vehicle charges and OUI on Tuesday.

In the wake of the second wrong-way crash in the same stretch of highway in the last month, state lawmakers like Senator Bruce Tarr are looking to do more to prevent wrong-way driving. The other wrong-way crash on May 6 killed Trooper Kevin Trainor and the driver who hit him.

Last month, lawmakers voted to add more money to the budget to increase education about wrong-way driving.

950 wrong-way drivers self-corrected in Connecticut

Lawmakers are also looking to Connecticut, which launched its wrong-way driving program in December 2023. Since then, it has launched more than 200 wrong-way detection cameras on highway entrance ramps across the state, with plans to ramp the program up to 400 cameras.

The cameras detect a wrong-way driver and alert them with brightly lit flashing signs that they are about to enter the highway in the wrong direction. In response, 950 drivers so far have self-corrected, according to CTDOT spokesperson Eva Zymaris.

"We know that this technology is saving lives, because we see it almost daily when we see yet another driver successfully turn around before entering the highway," Zymaris told WBZ.

The system doesn't only alert the driver but simultaneously alerts the state's Highway Operations Center and State Police so they can respond quickly.

"It's something that we're really proud of. Connecticut has really led the way. We have one of the largest wrong-way detection programs in the country," Zymaris said.

Local police chiefs and lawmakers have told WBZ they are looking to Connecticut's program for guidance.

MassDOT says work already underway

In a statement, MassDOT said work is already underway to reduce wrong-way driving:

"At the direction of Governor Healey, MassDOT is taking action to reduce wrong-way driving by combining state-of-the-art technology, improved signage, roadway enhancements and data-driven safety improvements. Much of this work is already underway, and we will continue to evaluate problem areas across the state to further reduce the risk of wrong-way crashes. Our goal is simple: make it easier for drivers to stay on the correct path and prevent these dangerous incidents before they happen."

Massachusetts currently has wrong-way detection software installed in 16 locations:

Bernardston (2)
Webster (2)
Burlington (2)
Chelmsford (1)
Danvers (2)
Barnstable (2)
Plymouth (2)
Fall River (1)
Boston (2)