Spotting Signs of Drunk Driving

A staggering and unfortunate number of auto accident cases and deaths every year are caused by impaired or drunk drivers. Despite major efforts from major organizations to curb this issue, it still remains a large one on roads across the country.

At the offices of William Rawlings & Associates, LLC, we’re here to help if you’re ever part of a car accident caused by a drunk driver, and particularly if you’ve sustained injury. The best way to avoid this kind of emotional and physical pain, though, is to avoid the drunk driver altogether. With that in mind, here are some common signs to look out for that might signal an impaired driver on the road with you, plus how to react if you notice these signs.

Signs of Impaired Driving

We can’t always physically see someone consuming alcohol and then getting in the car to drive, so we often have to base this on driving and behavior. Here are some signs that a person might be intoxicated behind the wheel (these are the kinds of signals police and other law enforcement agents look out for):

• Quick accelerations or decelerations
• Weaving or swerving across lanes of traffic or into the shoulder
• Erratic braking
• Tailgating
• Failing to signal
• Driving in more than one lane at a time
• Near-miss collisions with other vehicles or other objects
• Driving more than 10 mph below the speed limit
• Not turning on headlights at night
• Driving on the wrong side of the road
• Making illegal or abrupt turns

How to React

Even if you aren’t 100 percent sure that the above signs signal a drunk driver on the road with you, they clearly signal an unsafe driver. So how should you respond if you see them?

The first and most important response is staying clear – behind the erratic vehicle. Don’t try to pass them or interfere in any way. If you’re able to obtain their car info, such as make and model or license plate, take this information and then alert police from a safe and stopped location (unless you have a passenger with you in the car who can call while you drive).

What to Do If You’re Injured

In the rare case that you’re part of an accident or injured in any way by a suspected drunk driver, do whatever is in your power to collect all possible documentation. You likely have the right to sue the negligent driver. Once you’ve contacted the proper authorities and received attention for any injuries, contact our offices right away to learn about how our personal injury attorney can help.

For more on spotting a drunk driver, or for any of our personal injury, wrongful death or auto accident attorney services, speak to the staff at the offices of William Rawlings & Associates today.