Tag Archives: driving

How Can You Avoid Drunk Drivers?

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You can hardly look at your local news without seeing stories about drunk drivers and drunk driving accidents.

According to the CDC, someone dies due to alcohol-impaired driving every 48 minutes in the U.S.

Around one-third of all car accidents are because of impaired driving.

According to Strom Law Firm, at the start of 2024, there was a high-profile story that involved a drunk driver and the death of a first responder.

The victim was DeWitt Peake, a 56-year-old firefighter riding his motorcycle. He was wearing a helmet and driving safely according to reports. Peake had been a volunteer firefighter for 34 years. He’d just been promoted to lieutenant the previous week in Kershaw County, South Carolina.

More recently, according to the news at arospeed.com there was a story in Portland about a woman who was driving with a blood alcohol content of .356, which is almost 4.5 times the legal limit. She crashed, and it led to the shutdown of a major bridge in the city. She was also seriously injured.

Lanes were temporarily closed in both directions of the Ross Island Bridge on the east end. That followed a deadly weekend in Portland where three people were killed because of crashes involving impaired driving.

In Atlanta in mid-October, a drunk driver hit and killed a pedestrian early Sunday morning in Buckhead.

The accident occurred around 1:25 a.m. on Peachtree Rd. near Buckhead Village.

The police ported a Cadillac was speeding north on Peachtree, and the driver lost control and hit the back of a Jeep. The Jeep crashed into three cars, and then the Cadillac went off the road, hitting a pedestrian, then flipping over and hitting two other cars.

The driver, after being taken to the hospital with minor injuries, is now charged with DUI, homicide by vehicle, an open container of alcohol, and failure to maintain lane.

Again, it’s daily that we see news about DUIs throughout the country, but are there things you can do to protect yourself?

You should always, regardless of the time of day, be on the defensive to protect yourself not just against drunk drivers, but anyone who is driving recklessly.

The following are specific things you can do to protect yourself and your family from drunk drivers.

Know the Signs of a Drunk Driver

There are very frequently outward signs that you can spot as another driver if someone is under the influence.

Things that you might notice if someone is under the influence include:

  • Straddling the middle of the road
  • Nearly hitting other objects or vehicles
  • Zigzagging or weaving
  • Abrupt swerving
  • Turning illegally
  • Inappropriately stopping

If you notice these or any other odd signs, stay as far away as you can, which is detailed more below. If you need to, pull over and let the other driver pass. Don’t follow someone you suspect is drunk or try to stop the vehicle on your own.

Wear Your Seatbelt

No matter the situation or what you’re facing on the roadway, wearing your seatbelt remains one of the best ways to protect yourself. A seatbelt might not protect you from other drivers, but it can reduce the chances of an accident being deadly if you’re in one.

Every time you drive, no matter the specifics, you should wear a seatbelt as should your passengers.

Give Plenty of Room Between Cars

When you’re driving, make sure you stay back as far as you can from cars in front of you. If you notice someone driving erratically, give yourself at least several car lengths. Also, watch for slowing and speeding up repeatedly or swerving.

If you notice signs that could indicate someone is driving under the influence, turn off your cruise control.

Depending on what you notice, you might want to alert local law enforcement as well.

If you contact law enforcement, you should try to give the license plate number of the driver. You should also give the road and direction of the vehicle and provide a full description of the vehicle.

Never try to stop the car, as was mentioned above, or disregard your own traffic signals to try and keep up with the other driver. Don’t follow a potentially impaired driving too closely, or get so focused on that driver that you start weaving as well. Never try to detain a drunk driver if they stop.

Be Especially Careful At Intersections

Many drunk driving and driving while impaired accidents occur at intersections. Someone under the influence may not stop for a sign or signal. If you’re going through an intersection, make sure you yield to oncoming traffic and look both ways, no matter what.

Try to Avoid Driving at Certain Times

Most drunk drivers are going to be on the road late at night and on holidays. Drunk driving also tends to be more common in summer than the cold weather months, and drunk driving is also more prevalent on weekends than on weekdays.

Try to plan your driving around these times as much as you can.

If you can avoid driving late at night, do it, and the same goes for holidays.

If you do have to drive on a holiday or late at night, be especially cautious. Make sure you’re not distracted and don’t take your eyes off the road. You should always be expecting the unexpected during these times.

Practice Defensive Driving

Learning the skills of defensive driving can be one of the best things you do to avoid not just drunk drivers, but many other roadway hazards. Defense driving can help you reduce the likelihood you’re in a roadway accident.

Defensive driving means you’re ready to take action to avoid being in an accident. You always assume as a driver that other drivers are unpredictable. You can learn skills that will help you save your life and the lives of your passengers regardless of the actions other drivers are taking.

Always prepare for worst-case scenarios as a defensive driver, and don’t expect anyone else on the road to do the right thing.

The holiday season is prime time for drivers to be under the influence. It’s more important than ever to make responsible choices, remain alert behind the wheel, and drive defensively. If you do find yourself in an accident, reach out to the experienced team at Stokes Stemle, LLC to ensure you receive the help you deserve.

Is Street Racing Dangerous?

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Street racing refers to a hazardous type of impulsive driving. It threatens the life of the person who is racing, and the people who are watching, other people on the road, and pedestrians. The high speed of the car is the biggest concern in street racing.

However, the racer’s irresponsible actions also cause danger, like twirling in between traffic or at stop signs, etc. According to reports, the injuries caused due to a street racing accident can be way more severe than those caused by other accidents because of the speed.

Also, if you have been a victim of an accident, you must approach Arash Law as soon as possible.

The danger associated with Street Racing

The list of hazards caused by street racing is never-ending, but here are some of the common risks that it has:

Overlooking the red lights

When you are racing at an uncontrollable speed, there are high chances of you missing or ignoring the red lights. You may find it a simple action, but it is a sign of danger for the masses. Ignoring the red light with your speeding vehicle will surely cause an accident and harm others and you.

Heavy rain

Going street racing while it’s raining is like consciously welcoming death. Out of all the dangers of street racing, heavy rain is the scariest of all. The rain disrupts your visuals, and the slippery roads make it quite apparent that you’re surely going to break your bones, along with ruining your vehicle.

Imprisonment

If you are caught during a street race, it will not end with just a simple warning. You might get a ticket that ranges between $355 to $1000, and in extreme situations, you can be sent to prison as well. The tenure of the arrest depends on your arrest’s happenstance, and in some cases, you might face lifelong imprisonment too.

Vehicle damage

If you decide to race in pothole season, you are inviting a severe problem for your vehicle. If driven at an unprecedented speed during the pothole season, you might lose control over your driving and meet with a severe accident. Which eventually means a broken car with an injured, or in some cases, the dead driver inside.

Vandalism

Even though it sounds unlikely, vandalism is also a possibility of street racing. People frequently gather in crowds to witness street racing. A slight change of the path or reckless driving leads to vandalism and littering. Hence, racers need to refrain from crowded areas, and for that matter, avoid street racing at all.

Expenditure

Along with the fees, street racers pay for subwoofers, nitrous oxide, and air intakes. You will have to bear the expenses of your damaged vehicle. Your car insurance will not save you if you have a ticket with points on your license, which is even worse in case of severe car accidents.

Road degradation

If you think that speed racing is only damaging your car and sometimes your life, you are missing out on something really crucial. Speed racing also causes wear and tear to the roads and highways. A broken road is a further invitation to more accidents.

Rollovers

Rollovers only come to our minds when we think about a sharp turn or curve. But they can occur in speed racing, especially if you are driving on damaged or potholed roads and during windy seasons.

Speed equals death

We have mentioned it throughout, and we would like to take a minute to let you know about the most significant danger of street racing. Speeding lets the vehicle’s braking distance increase, which implies that you have four times to stop the car. For example, if you’re driving 55 miles per and brake, you will only have six seconds before the vehicle ceases moving completely.

Therefore, if you don’t want to meet an untimely death, it is better to avoid reckless driving.

Danger to other people

Reckless street racing is not only harmful to the racers/drivers but also passengers and bystanders. There are multiple incidents where people on footpaths, drivers and passengers of vehicles not involved in races but in proximity of the same, have been killed due to the intense impact of a high-speed crash.

Wrong influence to the younger generation

Street racing is often streamed by racers on social media. Youngsters who are at a vulnerable age are often amazed it which influences them to do the same. As such, many teenagers get involved into reckless street racing while being underage which poses a great threat to their safety and well-being.

Danger to mass

Large numbers of people gather at the racing location to watch the event. A fun racing event can result into the injury and death of multiple in no time in case of any accident. How? If there’s a high impact crash or spin-out, flying debris can crush the audience injuring them along with racers inside the crash. On the other hand, there are also reported cases of burning gasoline and engine blasts that put the lives of many in danger.

Underestimating the dangers

Participants often underestimate the dangers associated with street racing. According to authorities, racers are mostly influenced by famous movies such as Fast and Furious, etc. These movies are highly unrealistic where the protagonists get away with miniscule injury and no legal intervention. However, that’s not the case in real life. In actuality, street racing is a huge threat to one’s own life as well others associated with them. Hence, it is imperative to be responsible and steer clear of the dangerous activity regardless of the adrenaline rush that it provides.

Is street racing illegal?

Yes, street racing is counted under criminal offence when

  • It is done on a public road
  • The racer spills oil/petrol to make the other driver lose traction.
  • When it is done to intentionally cause harm to a vehicle.
  • The traction engine is used in public, and without any requisite qualification for the same.

Conclusion

Being a part of street racing is dangerous, not just for the racers but also for the people surrounding it. Thus, it is best to stay away from it. If you have any further doubts, comment below. Stay connected with our site for more such awareness posts.