Alabama roadways made dangerous by drunk drivers

There’s no way for you to know what type of person is behind the wheel of every vehicle you encounter on an Alabama road while driving. While it’s true that you may see a family member or someone else you know during your travels, it’s far more likely that most of the motorists with whom you share the road will be strangers. You and every other driver are legally obliged to adhere to all traffic laws and safety regulations while operating a motor vehicle.

However, even though you might follow these rules every time you drive, you have no guarantee that every other driver will do the same. In fact, chances are you might share the road with someone who is negligent or reckless while driving. Drunk drivers, especially, are menaces to Alabama roads. You can improve travel safety by learning how to recognize signs of driver intoxication.

Is someone drinking a lot in a pub or restaurant?

If you’re dining out and notice another patron consuming copious amounts of alcohol, be especially leery if he or she exits the establishment at the same time as you. Many collisions occur in parking lots. It’s also a fact that parking lot collisions often involved pedestrians, so it’s wise to be especially cautious when you’re walking to or from your vehicle.

Intoxicated drivers have trouble with depth perception

If a driver near you is drunk, you might notice that he or she is randomly applying brakes, is tailgating or generally seems to be having trouble keeping up with the current flow of traffic. Alcohol can impair depth perception. This is why you might also be able to identify an impaired motorist by his or her posture in the driver’s seat.

A person acting under the influence of alcohol might sit at the far front edge of his or her seat. He or she might also be tightly gripping the steering wheel and squinting, as though trying to get as close as possible to the windshield.

Texting distractions and drunkenness may look similar

It’s a big red flag if you witness a vehicle swerving in its lane. You never know when a slight swerve might turn into total loss of steering control. Many distracted drivers and drunk drivers cause head-on collisions when they careen into opposite lanes of traffic.

A skilled and experienced driver knows how to maintain lane position. If a driver near you appears to be having trouble doing so, it’s best to try to create as much distance between your vehicles as possible. The problem here is that a collision might occur before you have time to react swiftly or safely enough to avert it.

Why should you pay for damages a drunk driver caused?

Sadly, every year, thousands of people lose their lives because of Alabama drunk drivers. If a person illegally operates a motor vehicle and causes a collision that results in your injury, you may not only experience physical pain but emotional or financial distress as well.

State law provides recourse to recovering accident victims who may seek financial recovery for their losses against those whose negligence or reckless driving behavior caused their injuries.