How to Recognize Drowsy, Distracted, and Impaired Drivers

With the holiday rush of Christmas approaching, there’s no better time to familiarize yourself with how best to recognize drowsy, distracted, or otherwise impaired motorists on the roadway. Early recognition is vital to avoiding potentially lethal auto accidents with reckless drivers, so stay vigilant and informed.

Signs of Impairment

A variety of factors can contribute to motorist impairment, such as driver fatigue, alcohol, drug use, texting, or other in-vehicle distractions, yet regardless, most forms of impairment tend to manifest in similar ways while driving. If you notice any of these symptoms in another driver, they may very well be impaired:

• Drifting between lanes or back and forth excessively within a lane
• Tailgating other vehicles or otherwise poorly managing space
• Not having headlights turned on in low-visibility conditions
• Not using turn signals at all, or leaving signals on far too long after completing a turn/ merge
• Exhibiting poor speed control, marked by long stretches of slow acceleration/ deceleration with periods of sudden, rapid correction
• Taking a long time to react to traffic lights, blinkers, and other roadway signage
• Disregarding the speed limit of a road, either by driving too slowly or far exceeding posted limits
• Taking turns extremely wide or running across rumble strips
• Driving on the wrong section of the road altogether
• Nearly striking objects and curbs and/ or suddenly swerving to avoid things
• Visibly having a strange driving posture (slumped back, hunched over to squint through the windshield, etc.) or clearly drinking/ texting

How to Respond to Impaired Drivers

If you see an obviously impaired driver on the road, honking generally isn’t in your best interest. If they happen to be a drowsy driver specifically, yes, a honk could alert them to the danger they present, but more often than not, impaired drivers will either ignore honks or will grow irrationally angry, which may result in you being the target of aggressive driving and road rage.

Instead, focus on reporting the accident. Try to get the other driver’s license plate number, pull over, and report the driver to 911. Include as many details as possible, such as the make, model, and color of their vehicle, alongside information on what road they were headed down in what direction. Law enforcement personnel are best equipped to clear the road and stop the impaired driver from causing a Nevada car accident, so play it safe.

What If They Cause an Auto Accident?

Despite your best efforts, some auto accidents can be nearly unavoidable when one party is recklessly impaired or driving while distracted. If you do get into one such crash, it’s vital that you seek medical attention as quickly as possible, even if you feel that you may be uninjured. This can uncover potentially lethal delayed-onset injuries and medical complications and will demonstrate to insurance companies that you responded responsibly to your crash.

Once your health is managed, you should give Aaron Law Group a call at (702) 550-1111 to schedule a free consultation with an auto accident attorney in Nevada who can answer any questions you might have about the claims process and your crash. Lawyers have the tools necessary to prove distracted and impaired driving and can secure you the compensation you rightly deserve as a result.