A recent article asks "Why Drivers Get on the Wrong Side of the Road" in the context of the Chicago DUI arrest of a North Chicago police officer last week after a fatality caused when the driver drove the wrong way on Lake Shore Drive.

The author asks a fair question. Yes, perhaps DUI contributed to this, but other motorists not necessarily under the influence of alcohol have made the same mistake. So are there other things that could have been done to prevent this?

The answer, not surprisingly, is that yes, there are a few easy fixes that could help. First, road signs need to be more conspicuous, clearer, and cannot be allowed to fall into disrepair, as they were in this case. Second, and perhaps more costly and difficult but no less worthy of attention, is poor design. The intersection in Chicago in question is easy to misunderstand for the uninitiated. Maybe a redesign might be expensive, but given the recent loss of life, it might very well be worthwhile.