New Year’s definitely a time for celebration. We leave behind the old and make way for the new. New Year’s celebration is a time to drink, eat and be merry in the company of your loved ones and friends. Unfortunately, it is also the time when impaired drivers, who have been celebrating and bringing in the New Year’s also hit the road. Such drivers endanger themselves and others, both drivers and pedestrians.
So, take it upon yourself to spot an impaired driver during New Year’s and do your civic duty by informing authorities. You could be saving the driver’s life and someone else’s by doing this.
Tips to Spot a Drunk Driver
There are many ways to spot an impaired driver because they tend to drive erratically and never follow traffic rules. Here are some of the signs that the person sitting behind the wheel has had one too many drinks and is unfit to drive.
- A drunk driver tends to straddle the lane marker or center lane while driving. This is because their vision and senses are completely addled and they believe driving in this manner will keep them safe.
- Alcohol and illicit drugs impair your judgment abilities. A person who is impaired will not be able to gauge distances accurately. This is the reason he will almost strike another vehicle or object while driving in this condition.
- Another sign of an impaired driver is taking extremely wide turns. Once again this is due to impaired judgment and the driver is unable to handle the wheel deftly in an inebriated state.
- Driving on the wrong side of the road is a classic sign of an impaired driver. With their senses impaired, drunk drivers are unable to follow traffic rules and want to take the shortest route home and if this means driving on the wrong side of the road, so be it!
- Weaving from one side to the other is another sign of a drunk driver. Since alcohol (illicit drugs) has impaired the person’s balance and stability, he will not be able to drive straight. This will him lurch the vehicle from one side to the other.
- There are some impaired drivers, who know they are wrong to get behind the wheel in their state. These drivers take speed to a different level. No, we are not talking about speeding. Rather, they will go to the other extreme and drive very slowly, about 10 mph.
- Erratic braking is another sign of a drunk driver. So beware. Such a driver will invariably stop at a green signal or crosswalk even if there are no pedestrians waiting to cross.
- Impaired drivers forget the basic rules of driving. So, if you spot a vehicle without headlights, it could be a drunk driver.
What to do?
If you spot a drunk driver, don’t try and stop or overtake him. Instead, maintain a lot of distance between him and you, as you will never know what he will do. Such drivers tend to stop without a warning.
Call the local authorities and report the driver to them. You will be doing yourself, other drivers, and the impaired driver a big service. If every person becomes responsible and reports drunk drivers, we will all be able to have a happy and fun New Year’s celebration!
