Drunk drivers are everywhere. Thousands of people are killed in drunk driving accidents every year, tens of thousands are injured and numerous people are arrested either after these accidents or in traffic stops that may have prevented a crash.
Whenever you’re on the road, it’s important to know what signs to look out for. You may spot somebody who is driving under the influence but who hasn’t been stopped by the police yet. Simply understanding this risk and identifying the vehicle can help you to keep your distance so that you’re not involved in a crash.
The signs to look for
Every situation is a bit different, and it may be hard to tell if someone is impaired or just distracted – although both are dangerous. Following are some of the more common signs of impaired driving
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
- Driving the wrong direction on a one-way street
- Making excessively wide turns
- Changing lanes or turning without signaling
- Stopping very abruptly at stop signs or red lights
- Not moving as soon as the light turns green ahead of them
- Swerving all over the road or driving erratically within the lane
- Nearly getting into accidents with other vehicles, even if they’re able to avoid them.
If you see someone who’s doing this, don’t try to stop them. Simply try to avoid them and, if you can do so safely, contact the police.
There is certainly a chance that you’re not going to know someone is intoxicated until they’ve already collided with your car and you’ve been injured. Did you know that Nevada has a statute of limitations and that if you were in an collision or injured in the last two years you could be compensated? Be sure you know exactly what legal options you have.