How Can You Recognize a Driver Who Has Been Drinking?

Drunk drivers are estimated to be involved in more than 25% of all traffic fatalities each year. With so many intoxicated motorists on the road and causing so much harm, it is important to know how to identify them so that you can steer clear.

Signs to watch for that indicate drunk driving are:

• Swerving or inability to drive a straight line
• Erratic and unpredictable braking
• Speeding or driving well under the speed limit
• Tailgating at any speed
• Hitting or almost hitting inanimate objects, including the curb
• Driving on the shoulder or entirely off the road

If you can, avoid driving during the peak hours of drunk driving. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, an inordinate number of drunk driving accidents occur on the weekends and between the hours of midnight and 3:00 AM. Early Saturday and Sunday mornings are the most dangerous because people are more likely to be leaving bars, restaurants, and friends’ homes after drinking.

How to Respond When You See a Drunk Driver

If you see a driver exhibiting these driving behaviors, then try to stay away from them, so they do not hit you. When taking defensive maneuvers to create distance, be careful not to risk causing a crash yourself.

If possible, remember the car’s license plate number, make, model, and color. If you have a passenger in your car, then they should take a photograph or video of the drunk driver while you move to get away from them.

Afterward, pull over where it is safe, such as in a parking lot, and call the police. Tell the dispatcher that you have witnessed a drunk driver and give them all of the information you can remember about the vehicle and the driver, including the direction and street they were traveling when you saw them last. A police officer is the only one who is qualified to pull over the drunk driver and remove them from the road, possibly stopping them before they cause a drunk driving accident.

If you ever get hit by a drunk driver, despite your best efforts to avoid them, then you should know that you can file an injury claim against them in pursuit of fair and maximized compensation. Dunk Law Firm can help you understand your rights and get a claim forming. Our drunk driving accident attorneys serve clients nationwide (including Houston, Milwaukee, and Memphis), so don’t hesitate to contact us.