Drunk drivers present a significant risk to you and other motorists, motorcyclists, bicyclists and pedestrians on the road. In 2015 alone, approximately 290,000 people were injured and an additional 10,265 people were killed in accidents involving drunk drivers, according to Mothers Against Drunk Drivers. In Maryland, and in many other states across the nation, anyone who has a blood alcohol content level of 0.08 percent or higher is considered intoxicated and may be convicted of a DUI if pulled over by law enforcement. In order to protect you and your family members from these negligent drivers, you should be able to spot the signs of a drunk driver.
According to MADD, there are some specific signs that you should keep an eye out for when navigating along the roadways. These include drivers who are engaging in the following behaviors:
- Driving too closely, or tailgating.
- Quickly accelerating and then decelerating.
- Stopping for no reason or applying brakes haphazardly.
- Driving between lanes or swerving between lanes.
- Forgetting to turn the headlights on at night.
- Slow to respond to traffic lights or stopping for too long at a stop sign.
Drunk drivers may accidentally hit the curb or fail to avoid hitting an object in the road. Bad weather conditions can make this even worse.
If you should spot a drunk driver, it is crucial that you call the local law enforcement and alert the officers to the intoxicated drivers’ whereabouts. By doing so, you may just save a life.
This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.