Drunk Driver Avoidance

Drunk drivers are a perennial problem, and there are more repeat offenders out there than you would think. Drunk driving is the most common crime in the US, and kills one person every 30 minutes.

There are over 1.5 million arrests for drunk driving every year, and about one third are convicted of a repeat offense. Each offense makes the driver even more likely to have another. For example, only 50% of first offenders become second offenders, but 80% of those who have a second offense go on to have even more arrests for DWI.

About 40% of all traffic crashes involve alcohol, and over 17,000 people are killed annually in these events. The majority of these crashes involve cars, but motorcyclists in alcohol-related crashes do much worse. About half of motorcycle deaths are due to alcohol in some way, primarily because of the lack of protection for the riders.

Most alcohol-related crashes occur between midnight and 3am, around the time bars close in most states. The majority of deaths involve relatively inexperienced drivers between the ages of 21 and 24.

What can you do to protect yourself from drunk drivers? First, assume that all the drivers around you are intoxicated, especially when driving at night. Watch everyone’s driving very closely. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) produced a booklet to help law enforcement officers to detect drunk drivers. They found that drivers engaging in certain behaviors had a specific risk for being intoxicated. Look out for these driving behaviors:

• Turning with a wide turn radius – 65% risk
• Straddling lane markers – 65% risk
• Nearly striking objects or other vehicles (narrow miss) – 60%
• Weaving – 60%
• Driving on areas off the designated roadway – 55%
• Swerving – 55%
• Driving more that 10 mph under the speed limit – 50%
• Stopping in traffic – 50%
• Drifting – 50%
  Following too closely – 45%
• Tires on the center lane marker – 45%
• Lights off – 30%

These signs do not always indicate a drunk driver. They may also be a sign of an inattentive driver (talking on the phone or texting), a drowsy driver, or someone who is just careless. The steps to take are the same for all:

1. Be prepared to take evasive action at a moment’s notice.
2. Keep plenty of distance between your car and theirs.
3. Do not pass the driver.
4. Try to get their vehicle information and notify 911. Don’t get too close.
5. If you see a car heading toward you, immediately move as far off the highway to the right side as possible. Move into the grass if you need to. Slow down and prepare to take evasive action if necessary.