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Protecting yourself from drunk driving accidents and injuries.

Hi everybody, and welcome back. I’m Bill Adler. In this video, we’ll take a deep dive into the world of drunk driving accidents. Drunk driving accidents are some of the worst accidents that we see – because they’re both entirely preventable and they can have devastating consequences for everybody involved. So with that said, let’s take a look at some ways you can protect yourself, and your family from drunk driving accidents and the injuries they cause.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every day in the United States almost 30 people die in drunk driving accidents. That adds up to a whopping 10,000 deaths per year. So clearly this is a major issue and one that impacts thousands of families annually.

Drunk driving accidents are unique because they can be prevented entirely if no one drives drunk, but the only surefire way to prevent yourself or a loved one from being hurt or killed by a drunk driver would be to never drive or ride on a roadway anywhere ever. And that’s just not realistic. With that in mind, however, there are a number of tips and tricks you can utilize to help keep you and your family safe from drunk drivers while on the road.

1. Always always always wear your seatbelt. And, if you’re driving others, make seatbelt wearing mandatory in your vehicle at all times. Ensuring that everyone wears a seatbelt means that, even if you are involved in an accident, the severity of injuries is likely to be significantly lower than if no seat belts were used.

2. Avoid driving late at night, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, when the rates of potential drunk drivers are likely to be higher. This advice is especially applicable on holidays, when people may be celebrating more vigorously – and earlier.

3. Drive defensively and be prepared to react quickly. If you see someone ahead of you driving erratically, give them plenty of space and move as far away from them as possible. If you suspect someone behind you of driving drunk, pull off the road and let them pass you. Regardless of if you think someone around you is a drunk driver, it’s always a good idea to give those you’re sharing the road with a generous amount of extra room.

4. Be extra careful at intersections. Drunk drivers are less likely to stop for stop signs or stoplights, so anytime you approach a road that intersects with the one you’re on, double check both directions for oncoming traffic and don’t assume that they are going to stop or obey the standard rules of the road.

5. If you see someone you believe is driving drunk or know that someone is impaired and getting behind the wheel, call the police. Give them information on the individual, if you can, the vehicle involved, including the license plate number and description, and the location. But whatever you do, don’t try to follow or intervene with the drunk driver.

6. Choose the highway over the country road and stay in the right hand lane. Highways have multiple lanes, meaning that if you suspect someone of drunk driving, you can give them more space by moving away. There’s also likely to be barriers between traffic moving in opposite directions, fewer curves and more lighting. Country and rural roads can be dangerous because they are two-lane and there is nothing protecting drivers traveling in one direction from drivers traveling in the other.

7. Last but certainly not least, don’t EVER be the drunk driver, and don’t tolerate it from your family and friends either. With the wide availability of ride sharing services, cell phones, and other safer modes of transportation, there’s simply no excuse. And it only takes one simple mistake to seriously alter your life, the lives of your loved ones, or the lives of those you share the road with.

As you probably just learned, drunk driving accidents can be devastating for everybody involved and many thousands of Americans are impacted by drunk drivers every year. That’s why it’s important to always be vigilant while on the road and take extra safety precautions especially when you’re driving on holidays, weekends, or at night, when the chances of drunk drivers being on the road is increased.

If you have questions about this information or you would like to discuss your case, you can get in touch with us at Jim Adler and Associates via the contact form at jimadler.com or give us a call at 1-800-567-7575.