An 87 year old man was issued more than a few tickets after driving the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway this week. Police say the man drove the wrong way, against the flow of traffic, for at least three miles. Other drivers fortunately saw him coming and were able to avoid his vehicle, but they were forced off the road.

The man was eventually stopped after he collided with a highway guardrail.

Police say the man appeared disoriented, but not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Wrong-way drivers are responsible for numerous deaths and vehicle collisions each year on American highways. Across the country, in just about every state, drivers have headed the wrong way on busy roads and highways, forcing other drivers off the road, creating havoc with traffic patterns; sometimes causing injury or death in the process.

Unfortunately police are nearly helpless to prevent wrong way drivers. The option left to them is to catch the drivers once they have started heading in the wrong direction. Then the police who are trying to get that driver off the road are also forced to drive the wrong way on the road, creating an even bigger hazard.

The best decision if you see a driver heading in the wrong direction is slow down and immediately move aside so they can pass safely. And keep your eyes open for police who might be following closely behind.