It’s no doubt that the holiday season experiences a lot of DUI crashes and arrests. BACtrack points out that the highest annual volume of DUI related arrests is between Thanksgiving weekend and New Year’s Eve. During this time, 40% of traffic fatalities that occur are DUI related.
Times with the Most Intoxicated Drivers
Fiol Law Group, a Tampa law firm that handles DUI accidents, says the weekends at any time after sundown is when DUI crashes and arrests are the most likely to occur. Logically, late night driving is going to see more drunk driving activity than any other time of day.
However, the chances are even higher during holiday times, so it’s best to avoid the night driving as much as possible especially on the nights of major drinking days including Blackout Wednesday (Thanksgiving Eve) and New Year’s Eve.
What Can You Do?
When you are traveling for the holiday season, or during any time of the year, there is a chance you might unfortunately cross paths with an inebriated driver. But, how would you determine if they were drunk?
A drunk driver can be difficult to spot in certain circumstances. To help, here are 3 distinct signs of a drunk driver on the road:
Swerving Out of Lane or Off the Road
State troopers often identify drunk drivers by examining their erratic driving patterns. If a driver has difficulty staying in one lane or on the road, it’s a big sign of impairment.
Appearance Seems Impaired
If you happen to catch a glimpse of the driver, you can see physical behaviors that come off as drunk. If they are slumped over on the wheel or have a tired or “out of it” facial expression it can be a sign of intoxication. Never attempt to drive close to a vehicle to get a good look. It’s safer to keep a distance.
Erratic Braking and Accelerating
Be on the lookout for sudden braking and accelerating. Intoxicated drivers have impaired judgments of distance and speed. If you were to see any form of dangerous driving including speeding, dangerous lane changing or even stopping at odd times, you can report it.
Reporting Drunk Drivers
According to MADD, concerned drivers can report reckless and dangerous driving to the police, even if it’s just a hunch. The police will be able to pull the driver over and check.
However, If you were to see a drunk driver on the road, you are to keep a safe distance from them. Don’t attempt to pass if it seems unsafe. Slow down till they are out of distance or take a detour if you have to.
If You’re Hit by a Drunk Driver
If you do get in an accident with a drunk driver, and if you’re able to get up and walk, the first thing would be to call the police if the suspect comes off as intoxicated. Unlike regular accidents, DUIs are a serious offense. If the driver is blatantly intoxicated the priority is to call authorities.
If you are not entirely sure that the driver was intoxicated, you can still have the authorities come to the scene. They can determine whether or not they were over the legal BAC limit.
If a DUI related accident had left you with severe damages and injuries, you do have the option of filling a claim and taking it to court with the help of an attorney.