Many people who enjoy the holidays by having a drink or two either make plans in advance for a designated driver or call a taxi or rideshare to get home. This is the smart thing to do to keep yourself and others safe.
Dealing With Drunk Driving Around the Holidays
Did you know that up to 38 percent of all traffic fatalities occur during holidays due to drunk driving? With the holidays coming up soon, motorists need to be more aware of drunk drivers on the road to stay safe. While Memorial Day is the number one holiday for intoxicated drivers to be on the road, according to AutoInsurance.org, Thanksgiving and New Year’s also rank fairly high. When you’ve been injured in a collision with a drunk driver, you have the right to compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost wages and for your pain and suffering.
How to Spot a Drunk Driver
Many people who enjoy the holidays by having a drink or two either make plans in advance for a designated driver or call a taxi or rideshare to get home. This is the smart thing to do to keep yourself and others safe. However, many drivers who are intoxicated aren’t as reasonable as you and risk driving themselves. Knowing how to spot a drunk driver on the road and what to do if you see one can help. Some of the signs of a driver being intoxicated include:
- The driver is speeding up and slowing down. Drunk drivers have trouble keeping a steady speed, and because their vision and reflexes are affected by alcohol, this can be a tell-tale sign the person behind the wheel is intoxicated.
- A driver is weaving in and out of their lane. This is another problem with drunk drivers. If they can’t walk in a straight line, they can’t drive in one either.
- Tailgating can be a sign of a drunk driver. Intoxicated drivers have trouble judging distances. Unfortunately, if someone is tailgating and you have to stop suddenly, it can end up causing a rear-end collision.
- Stopping suddenly or pumping the brakes can be a sign of a drunk driver. Since intoxicated drivers have that problem judging distances and their reflexes aren’t normal, this jackrabbit driving can indicate a drunk behind the wheel.
- Poking along at a really slow speed can indicate a drunk driver. The driver probably realizes that he or she shouldn’t be driving so goes slowly thinking it’s safer. It’s not.
- Leaving a signal light on or signaling inconsistently. While this might be a mistake, it could also be a drunk driver, so use caution and keep your distance.
- Near misses with the curb, another vehicle or an object can mean a drunk driver is behind the wheel of the car.
- Driving down the middle of the street in a residential area or on a country road can mean the driver has had too much to drink. This is one of the reasons head-on collisions occur.
What to Do If You Suspect a Driver of Being Drunk
As a good citizen, there are several steps you can take when you spot a drunk driver, but of course, you want to keep yourself and your loved ones in your vehicle safe at the same time. Following are some suggestions:
- Do not attempt to pass a drunk driver because you can end up being in an accident.
- If you can do so safely, take down the license plate number and note the make and model of the vehicle as well as the street with cross streets or mile markers on the highway.
- If you have a hands-free phone in your car, call 911 to alert the police of the presence of the drunk driver. Give police the information you have about the vehicle, location and direction it is traveling in. There. You’ve done your duty and have maybe helped keep others safe. Now it’s up to those brave men and women and blue.
Roeser Law Firm
If you’ve been injured by a drunk driver, you need the insight a personal injury lawyer can provide. Call the Roeser Law Firm at (202) 660-4070 to schedule a free case review. We will answer your questions and let you know the options you have going forward. You can also reach us online.
