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Above, an off-ramp at Route 140 in Franklin.
When Chris Dailey passed away as a result of a car crash involving a wrong-way driver, Sen. Bruce Tarr was motivated to act. His work came a step closer to fruition on Thursday.
The Senate unanimously passed a budget amendment (#872) from the Gloucester Republican that aims to curb wrong-way and drunk driving. Tarr said he was moved to address the issue after Dailey, an 18-year-old Gloucester resident, died on July 4, 2025.
“We saw the entire community have to confront that unthinkable loss. We had to support his peers, we had to grieve together, we had to support each other and every step of the way we said ‘What can we do so that nobody else has to deal with this?’ ” Tarr told reporters. “It was personal, it is personal because in our community we carry that loss with us.”
The amendment requires the state to establish a comprehensive plan "in the most expeditious manner possible" to eliminate instances of wrong-way driving, including lighting systems, signage and detection devices that alert wrong-way drivers and notify public safety agencies of wrong-way driving incidents. That plan must also be updated every three years to keep up with changes in technology, Tarr said.
Gov. Maura Healey told reporters Thursday she supports the amendment.
Tarr said there is a high correlation between wrong-way driving and senior drivers. The amendment calls on MassDOT and the RMV and both the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and Executive Office of Aging and Independence to study how to help senior drivers.
The amendment’s passage comes weeks after State Trooper Kevin Trainor died while responding to a wrong-way driver call in Lynnfield. The Senate adopted a motion from Tarr and Sen. Joan Lovely of Salem to adjourn in memory of Trainor on Thursday.
The amendment's ultimate fate will hinge on talks with the House, but Tarr said he hoped the timing of the Senate’s budget debate and the loss of Trooper Trainor presented an opportunity to “fast track” the measure.
“Items that are standalone legislation can take longer, so the trajectory we were on was more influenced by the availability of the opportunity. But certainly, the tragic loss of Trooper Trainor gave us another compelling reason to move as quickly as possible, because it reminded us that every day we're at risk, and what we can do is reduce that risk,” Tarr said.
Lovely noted that in 2022, MassDOT launched a pilot program aimed at reducing wrong-way crashes. As part of the program, MassDOT installed “Wrong Way Vehicle Detection Systems” at 16 ramps across the state.
These devices, which have features like LED lights, sirens and cameras, have led to a reduction in wrong-way driving, Lovely said.
“We need to get this done," Lovely said on the Senate floor.
Connecticut saw a 86% drop in wrong-way crashes as a result of deploying the types of devices that Tarr hopes see installed across Massachusetts, he said.
Tarr said device installations will resume “very soon.” Also, citing conversations he’s had with MassDOT, Tarr said the first round of installations will include about 600 locations across the state.
Tarr said Gov. Maura Healey has been “extremely supportive” on the issue.
"I'm very glad to see that and I look forward to signing it," Healey told reporters on Thursday, adding she has directed MassDOT to put additional technology on roads and take other measures to prevent wrong-way driving and protect drivers.
"Look, We've gotta do this. We've gotta make sure we have the support for it and the resources. We have seen too many wrong-way drivers in Massachusetts," Healey said. "I want to make sure everything possible is done so we're reducing the likelihood of these sorts of tragedies [from happening] ever again."
[MassterList Editor Gin Dumcius contributed to this report]
Katie Castellani is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro
