A daily commute to work or school, a quick run to the grocery store or a family road trip – a crash can happen in any of these scenarios. What is even more frustrating is when we realize the other driver was distracted at the time of the accident. We may notice they are on their phones or see they caused the crash by weaving into our lane.
Whatever the red flag, if you find yourself in a car crash as a result of a distracted driver’s negligence you are not alone. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states nine people are involved in fatal car accidents connected to a distracted driver every single day. This translates to thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries annually. Drivers can avoid becoming part of this statistic with the following tips.
Tip #1: Learn how to spot a distracted or drunk driver
Drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs, fatigue, or distraction often display visible patterns before a crash. Common warning signs can include:
- Repeated lane drift, lane straddling, wide turns, delayed corrections
- Erratic speed changes, inconsistent braking, following too closely, abrupt acceleration
- Failure to obey signals, rolling through stop signs, delayed response at green lights
- Driving without headlights at night, improper use of high beams, near misses at intersections
- Overcorrection after a drift, sudden swerves toward the shoulder or into adjacent lanes
These behaviors tend to appear in clusters. One sign alone may reflect inexperience or poor conditions. Multiple signs over a short distance often indicate impairment or distraction.
Tip #2: Avoid the danger
Once you spot a potential distracted or drunk driver, the goal is to provide distance and predictability. Increase your following distance and avoid passing on the side with lane drift. If you need to change lanes, do so early to avoid any contact. Create an exit route and avoid being boxed in by the other driver. Do not engage, honk aggressively or attempt to stop the driver.
If danger appears imminent, pull off in a safe location, allow the vehicle to move ahead and, if safe to do so, report the vehicle. Be prepared to provide the location and direction of travel as well as the plate number and vehicle description as best you are able.
After taking these steps, continue driving defensively. A timely report can support enforcement intervention, and it can create a contemporaneous record that may later help clarify events, especially in the event of a car accident.
Impaired and distracted driving comes with certain patterns. You may notice the other driver drifting, using inconsistent speed, having delayed responses, and making sudden swerves. When you see these cues, increase space, avoid interaction, and report the matter when safe to do so.