Wrong-way driver dies in head-on crash on I-45 in Houston

HOUSTON - A wrong-way driver on Interstate 45 died in a head-on crash just north of Houston early Sunday, critically injuring two others, authorities said.

Fatal Crash on I-45

What we know:

The crash happened just before 3 a.m. when a Toyota RAV4 traveling south in the northbound lanes of I-45 near FM 1488 crashed into a Dodge Durango.

A wrecker driver told authorities he was traveling south on I-45 and saw the RAV4 pass him at what he estimated to be nearly 100 mph. He immediately called 911 and signaled to nearby Oak Ridge and Montgomery County law enforcement units, who began to follow the wrong-way vehicle.

The wrecker driver said he saw the crash and turned back to the scene. By the time he arrived, he said officers had already pulled the driver and passenger from the Durango, which then burst into flames.

The driver and passenger of the Durango were transported to Memorial Hermann in The Woodlands in critical condition. Authorities said the female driver of the RAV4 was trapped and died at the scene. South Montgomery County firefighters worked for nearly an hour to extricate her.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the crash. The interstate was closed for several hours and reopened around 7 a.m.

What we don't know:

Authorities have not released the names of the victims. 

Why you should care:

DPS offers driving safety tips and advice

What you can do:

DPS Sgt. Richard Standifer spoke with FOX 26 about safety tips while driving on the road. 

He says most people don't think about it, but they should have a safety plan before hitting the road. You never know what others are going to do. 

Here are some tips if you find yourself about to collide with a wrong-way driver. 

Move over to the side of the roadway. If you need to move off the freeway, you can exit the freeway on the frontage road and stay out of harms way.

"And in the event that you have a concrete barrier on both sides of the highway, you may have to exit the vehicle that may be between life or death," said Sgt Standifer. "In the HOV lane, depending on what time it is, even if it's in the middle of the night, there may or may not be somebody behind you. Go ahead and stop the vehicle, if you can turn your flashers on fine, but you're probably going to have to get out of the car because we don’t know if that other person is going to stop heading the opposite way."