Negligence is one of the leading causes of accidents, and one of the common negligent behaviors is drunk driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about 32 people die daily in drunk driving crashes in the U.S.
Drunk drivers can engage in dangerous behaviors. Here are three of them:
Swerving
Alcohol can make a driver sleepy or have poor eye coordination. And when they sleep, they may swerve between lanes. If you notice a driver is changing lanes unsafely, the chances are they may be drunk. Thus, you should increase your safe following distance.
Quick changes in speed
Drunk drivers can be paranoid. They may think everything they do screams they are drunk. Thus, they may overcompensate by driving slowly. And when they think they are slower than everyone, they will increase their speed. This sudden acceleration and deceleration may go on for some time. And it communicates what they are working so hard to hide.
Tailgating
Tailgating is another sign that can notify you of a drunk driver. Since alcohol causes impaired judgment, it can be challenging for such a driver to maintain a safe following distance.
Some drunk drivers may tailgate you to have fun. When you speed to increase the distance, they will do the same to catch up with you, which can be annoying.
If this happens, you should relax. Do not engage, as this can motivate them to continue doing so. Besides, it takes your concentration away from the road. You should maintain your speed until you can safely let them pass. If they refuse to pass, pull over at a parking lot. If they stop and continue to harass you or worsen their behavior, it will help to call the police.
If you are injured by a drunk driver, you may need to get legal guidance to get just compensation to cover all your damages.