People drink alcohol to celebrate, spend time with friends, or relax from work. Unfortunately, people also drink and drive. According to the National Highway Safety Administration, someone is injured in a drunk driving crash every two minutes in the United States. While those numbers are staggering, that same administration reported that one person is killed every fifty minutes by a drunk driver in our country. The statistics are overwhelming. Thankfully, you can identify possibly impaired drivers on the road and avoid them. You just need what to look for.
What Does Drunk Driving Look Like?
Alcohol is a depressant that gives a feeling of relaxation. Along with relaxing inhibitions, drinking dulls the senses. Side effects can include slower reflexes and reaction times, altered visual perception, drowsiness, and decreased ability to concentrate or make rational decisions. This is not an optimal condition for getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle and is, in fact, illegal. Mistakes made by drivers under the influence typically look like:
- Erratic swerving or zigzagging
- Aggressive acceleration and abrupt deceleration
- Tailgating other vehicles
- Making illegal turns or driving on the wrong side of the road
- Driving less than 10 mph under the speed limit
- Hitting or almost hitting curbs, guardrails, or other cars
What to Do
Do you think you see an impaired driver on the road? Avoid them. If someone is behaving in such a way that they appear drunk be sure to stay far away. Do not risk getting in an accident with an erratic driver, whether they are drunk or sober. Instead, you should allow them to pass you, pull over to the side of the road until they are far enough away that you are safe, or take a turn, even if it isn’t part of your route. The worst thing you can do is stay close to the drunk driver.
Once you are clear of the driver, call the police and relay as much information as you can about the car’s whereabouts and in which direction it is driving. Make them aware of the vehicle’s make, model, and color. You should also try to get the license plate number, if possible. If you cannot see their license plate, do not attempt to get closer. Remember, you should always keep yourself at a safe distance. Report all you can about the driver. Let the professionals handle the rest. In the event that you do have an accident, an experienced drunk driving accident attorney can be your greatest ally. The Tenge Law Firm, LLC, is committed to holding drunk drivers accountable for the injuries, losses, and damages they inflict upon our clients and their loved ones.
Drunk Driving Accidents Happen in Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins
Even with impeccable foresight and defensive driving tactics, it is impossible to predict what other drivers who cannot control themselves are going to do on the road. If you have been injured in an accident involving a drunk driver, you need an experienced Boulder car accident attorney like those at the Tenge Law Firm, LLC, working on your behalf. We have 30 years of car accident experience and many success stories to our name.
Call the professionals at the Tenge Law Firm, LLC, for an honest assessment of your case. We listen and respond to each of our clients with respect, and we advocate for the compensation they deserve. Call our Boulder office to set up a free, comprehensive consultation at (303) 665-2929.