Detecting a Drunk Driver

The following information on detecting a drunk driver is provided by Pritzker | Ruohonen, a leading Minnesota personal injury law firm. If you have been in a car accident involving a drunk driver, contact Pritzker | Ruohonen for a free consultation. Please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm's online consultation form for review by an attorney.

Sometimes an accident with a drunk driver can be prevented if other drivers detect that the driver is drunk. According to research done by NHTSA, certain driving behaviors indicate a drunk driver. These behaviors can be put into 4 categories:

Problems in Maintaining Proper Lane Position

Weaving: Weaving is when the vehicle alternately moves toward one side of the lane and then the other. The pattern of lateral movement can be fairly regular, as one steering correction is closely followed by another. In extreme cases, the vehicle's wheels even cross the lane lines before a correction is made. You might even observe a vehicle straddling a center or lane line. That is, the vehicle is moving straight ahead with either the right or left tires on the wrong side of the lane line or markers.

Drifting: Drifting is when a vehicle is moving in a generally straight line, but at a slight angle to the lane. The driver might correct his or her course as the vehicle approaches a lane line or other boundary, or fail to correct until after a boundary has been crossed. In extreme cases, the driver fails to correct in time to avoid a collision.

Swerving: Course corrections can be gradual or abrupt. For example, you might observe a vehicle to swerve, making an abrupt turn away from a generally straight course, when a driver realizes that he or she has drifted out of proper lane position, or to avoid a previously-unnoticed hazard.

Near Miss: A related DWI cue is almost striking a vehicle or other object. You might observe a vehicle, either at slow speeds or moving with traffic, to pass unusually close to a sign, barrier, building, or other object. This cue also includes almost striking another vehicle, either moving or parked, and causing another vehicle to maneuver to avoid a collision.

Wide Turn:Turning with a wide radius, or drifting during a curve, is the final cue in this category of driver behaviors. A vehicle appears to drift to the outside of the lane, or into another lane, through the curve or while turning a corner. Watch for this cue and stop the driver when you see it. Many alcohol-involved crashes are caused by an expanding turn radius, or drifting out of lane position during a curve.

Speed and Braking Problems

Braking Problems: The research showed that braking properly can be a difficult task for a drunk driver. For example, there is a good chance the driver is DWI if you observe any type of stopping problem. Stopping problems include,

Stopping too far from a curb or at an inappropriate angle,
Stopping too short or beyond a limit line, and
Jerky or abrupt stops.

Speed: Drunk drivers also can experience difficulty maintaining an appropriate speed. There is a good chance the driver is DWI if you observe a vehicle to,

Accelerate or decelerate rapidly for no apparent reason,Vary its speed, alternating between speeding up and slowing down, or be
Driven at a speed that is ten miles per hour or more under the limit.

Vigilance Problems

Vigilance concerns a person's ability to pay attention to a task or notice changes in surroundings. Any of the following might indicate a drunk driver:

Forgetting to turn his or her headlights on when required
Forgetting to signal a turn or lane change
Signaling inconsistent with their maneuver, for example, signaling left, but turning right
Driving into opposing or crossing traffic
Turning in front of oncoming vehicles with insufficient headway
Failing to yield the right of way
Driving the wrong way on a one way street
Responding more slowly than normal to a change in a traffic signal
Stopping in a lane for no apparent reason>

Judgment Problems

Operating a motor vehicle requires continuous decision-making by the driver. Unfortunately, judgment abilities can be affected by even small amounts of alcohol. Any of the following may be indicate a drunk driver is behind the wheel:

Following another vehicle too closely, providing an unsafe stopping distance
Making improper or unsafe lane changes, either frequently or abruptly, or with apparent disregard for other vehicles
Turning improperly, either too fast, in a jerky manner, or illegally
Driving on other than the designated roadway, for example, at the edge of the roadway, on the shoulder, off the roadway entirely, or straight through turn-only lanes
Stopping inappropriately

Inappropriate or Unusual Behavior of Driver: Rsearch has shown that there is a good chance a driver is DWI if you observe the person to exhibit any inappropriate or unusual behavior. Unusual behavior includes throwing something from the vehicle, drinking in the vehicle, urinating at the roadside, arguing with another motorist, or otherwise being disorderly. If you observe inappropriate or unusual behavior, there is a good probability that the driver is DWI.

Personal Behavior or Appearance of Driver: The personal behavior or appearance of a driver can be an indication that he or she is drunk. The indicators include, gripping the steering wheel tightly, driving with one's face close to the windshield, slouching in the seat, and staring straight ahead with eyes fixed. If you observe a driver who appears to be impaired, there is an excellent probability that you are correct in your judgment. Modify your driving to prevent an accident.

Sources:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, The Visual Detection of DWI Motorists.
Southern California DUI and Criminal Law Lawyers, Robert Miller & Associates.

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