It’s summer, and that means it’s party time! From the first day of summer to July 4th to road tripping for vacation, it’s the time of year when folks take to the streets to enjoy warm days, welcome friends, and wine. Okay, so maybe wine isn’t your thing. It is a developed taste after all. Maybe you’re more of a beer drinker, or maybe you live life on the wild side and are a liquor only kind of person.
By itself, alcohol isn’t naturally harmful. Neither is a car for that matter. But when the two are combined they create a volatile and explosive combination, a combo that isn’t awesome like fireworks but awful in consequence. Most people couldn’t get through their day-to-day without a car. And alcohol…well, it isn’t a fad that’s anywhere near going out of style. Both are here to stay, and the best way to keep safe is to never, ever let those two get together. But they do! Knowing how to spot a drunk driver could save your life and others.
How Police Spot Drunk Drivers
Law enforcement officers are constantly scrutinized. Let’s be honest; the last time you had to sit at a checkpoint that put you five to fifteen minutes behind, you were probably more peeved at the cop than anyone else. They are the person you saw, the person who took off with your license and registration, effectively leaving you stuck, and you had to sit patiently (well-acted, by the way) until they came back to say, “You’re good to go. Have a nice day/night.” What a waste of your taxpayer dollars, right? Wrong. Dead wrong for some.
Police officers are tasked with keeping the pubic (that’s you, one your good and bad days) safe. It’s their job to identify potential safety issues and enact a solution. The good cop versus bad cop versus vigilantly debate flares heavily in topics like this, but we are going to focus on one generic scenario law enforcement officers are trained to spot: the drunk driver.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), there are more than 100 visual signs that tip police off to a driver who’s had too much. Some of the most common include:
- Turning with a much wider radius than required
- Straddling the divider or lane marker and crossing over it
- Striking an object or another vehicle
- Weaving, swerving, and drifting
- Erratic braking or stopping inappropriately
- Following too closely
- Driving at night without headlights
- Signaling that does not coincide with driving actions
- Rapid or inconsistent acceleration or deceleration including speeding more than 10 miles per hour above or below the posted speed limit
- Slow response to traffic signals and signs
If you ever see a driver or vehicle exhibiting these signs, take action. You should try and safely record the license plate number and any identifying attributes of the vehicle, such as its make and model. Only obtain this information from a safe distance—never chase a possible drunk driver.
Once you have identifying information (a minimal description of the driver doesn’t hurt, but don’t get it if it puts you or other in danger), pull over and call 911 from a safe location. Give the operator the vehicle description, the name of the street you are on with a nearby cross-street if available, and let them know where the suspected drunk driver is headed. Describe the behavior you observed.
How can a police officer tell if a driver is intoxicated? Outside of a Breathalyzer test, they look for characteristic giveaways that a person is under the influence like a flushed face, the scent of alcohol, slurred speech, and failure to comprehend the conversation. If asked to step outside of the car, they look for stumbling while walking, staggering, leaning on the car or something nearby for support, and swaying while moving or standing still.
When Not to Mix Drinks and Driving
As you head into summer, remember that drinking and driving do not mix. Underage drinking and driving do not mix either. A DUI can destroy your job stability, hurtle you into legal troubles, and even result in a chronic or fatal injury. Attorney Thomas J. Lavin is to be consulted in such cases. The best way to avoid this avalanche of woe is to not drink and drive at all. In fact, there are three major scenarios that can send anyone on a collision course with disaster:
- Assuming: Thinking you’re fine to drive after consuming more than one beer, one glass of wine, or one cocktail because you feel fine.
- Calculating: How many drinks does it take to reach and surpass the legal blood alcohol limit? It’s not like asking how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop. Yes, a standard shot averages 1.5oz and a beer is about 12oz. Eating or consuming water while drinking can affect how your body processes alcohol, but everyone’s metabolism operates at a slightly different level. One shot, one cocktail, one glass of wine, or one beer could put you just under or at the legal BAC limit in your state. Then again, it could pop your friend over. Trying to calculate how many drinks are safe can lead to buzzed or intoxicated driving.
- Rationalizing: You’ve had a few, but you can walk straight. Yeah, you’re feeling pretty good…pretty good to drive. Stop! Rationalizing your way into the driver’s seat can be fatal. If you feel relaxed from drinking, if you feel anything from drinking, then your reaction time behind the wheel will be slower than normal.
Summer is made for fun. Drunk driving isn’t one of those fun things. Don’t mix drinking and driving this summer. And don’t think that social drinking makes driving okay. Every year, people in our local community die because social drinking goes terribly wrong. Call a cab or designate a driver who does not consume any alcohol at all.
Be responsible. Be safe. Be a bringer of fun instead of calling car accident lawyers after a freak (and avoidable) accident this summer.