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Steps when identifying a drunk driver

Posted on 03/02/19 by Malloy Law Offices in Injuries

Driving on the roads can sometimes be very dangerous even if you are a safe driver. Why? Simply because not everyone practices safe driving methods, aside from road conditions sometimes being unpredictable. As mentioned, safe driving habits don’t find their way into every car with every driver, which is why there are so many accidents. Drivers who make the poorest of decisions, to drive drunk or under any other influence, put the lives of everyone around them at risk.

Often times, people are very good at identifying drivers near them that are under the influence. Many of these drivers cannot keep a straight line or their cars in just one lane. Also, they are often more “aggressive”.

So, what do you do when you identify a drunk driver near you?

The first thing you should do is never attempt to pull the driver over or communicate with him or her. Stay safely away from their vehicle but close enough where you can obtain identifying information such as make, model, color and license plate number.

Make a call to 911. Please note, you should only make a 911 call if you have a hands-free device or can pull safely to the side of the road. Do not make the call using a hands-held device as this is very dangerous, and often times these types of distraction may also lead to incidents on the road.

Be sure to tell the 911 dispatcher as much as possible about the driver. This includes the identifying information about the vehicle as well as the location of the vehicle. This can include cross streets, mile markers and any other information that can tell officers where the vehicle is located.

Explain, in detail, any behaviors from this driver that have lead you to believe they might be intoxicated. This means you will need to explain to the dispatcher the manner in which the driver was operating the vehicle.

If you have suffered a car accident due to another drivers negligence, find a Bethesda personal injury attorney that away that can best walk you through the process and help you defend your rights, and claim what is yours.

Source: Report a Drunk Driver, “Reporting a Drunk Driver,” accessed Jan. 30, 2018