Avoiding a Drunk Driver May Save Lives
Drunk drivers are more than a menace on the road. They are responsible for many of the deaths resulting from fatal car crashes every year. Many drivers who are driving impaired are not aware of what they are doing when they are behind the wheel. That is the danger of driving in the company of an impaired driver. The person driving is not aware of his or her actions, and the other drivers in the area are unaware that the person in front or behind them is not operating on the sharpest of faculties.
If a driver is impaired there are several signs that will give this away to other drivers on the road. When a driver is suspected as being impaired, it is important not to tail the driver and try to stop the person, but rather to call the authorities and leave the situation to them to manage. It is important to get a complete description of the vehicle, if possible. This would include information like the make and model of the car, or truck, along with the color of the vehicle and the license plate number if possible. If it is possible to describe how the driver is managing and driving the vehicle, then do it. Also, by providing the location of the vehicle and the cross streets, with a general direction that the person is driving in, it gives critical information to helping the authorities find impaired drivers on the road.
If a driver is straddling the center line and driving in two lanes simultaneously, this is a sign that the driver may be impaired. Any drivers who are driving in both lanes of traffic on a two lane road are either impaired or highly distracted, and put cars in both lanes in danger of suffering an accident because of these actions. When drivers use extra wide turning radius to make normal turns, or if the driver is weaving in and out of traffic (at a fast or slow rate), this may also be a sign of a driver who is impaired.
Any time a person drives on surfaces other than the road, it may be a sure sign that the person is driving impaired. This includes drivers who are driving on the curb, who drive up on actual sidewalks, or who drive on grass or other surfaces next to paved roads.
When a driver drives in a way that is inconsistent, it may be a sign that the driver is impaired. If the driver is swerving in and out of traffic, or is driving in a straight course and turning abruptly, this may be a sign as well. If the driver appears to be driving towards stationary objects, and turns sharply to avoid them, this may be a sign of impairment. By stopping for no reason in the designated traffic lane, or by following very closely to other drivers on the road, drivers may be showing that they are driving impaired. If a driver also displays erratic braking patterns, or has signaling that is opposite or not consistent with the direction he is traveling in, it may be a sign of impairment.
Also, the person in the vehicle who is operating impaired may give signs to the impaired status. If the driver is actively drinking while driving, or driving with his or her face very close to the windshield, the person may be impaired.
If you have been in an accident with a driver who was impaired, you will want to call the law offices of Ledger & Associates at 1-800-300-0001 or visit us at www.ledgerlaw.com.
