Oklahoma nonprofit collaborates on study to prevent wrong-way crashes

A nonprofit founded by a mother who lost her daughter to a wrong-way driver is working with state officials to explore technology aimed at preventing similar tragedies

KOCO

By Olivia Hickey

Jul 29, 2026

OKLAHOMA CITY — Two wrong-way crashes on Oklahoma highways this week — one on the Kilpatrick Turnpike and another on Interstate 44 — are prompting renewed efforts to improve driver safety, with investigators saying both crashes involved allegedly impaired drivers.

WATCH: Two wrong-way drivers arrested for DUI in 2 days in Oklahoma City

While no fatalities occurred in these incidents, Kristy Murrow, co-founder of Victims of Impaired Drivers, knows the pain such crashes can cause.

"We lost our 19-year-old daughter, Marissa. She was a sophomore at UCLA, coming home for the weekend, and was hit head-on by a wrong-way driver on the Kilpatrick Turnpike," Murrow said.

Nearly six years after her daughter’s death, VOID is now working with state Rep. Nicole Miller to help prevent similar tragedies.

"Through this study, I want to examine how Oklahoma addresses wrong-way driving, learn from what other states are doing and explore whether technology and other safety measures can provide earlier warnings to drivers and help prevent another family from experiencing such a devastating loss," Miller said.

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