Motorists in Tennessee need to be able to identify when drivers are driving drunk so they can take preventive actions to avoid them. Drivers who engage in intoxicated driving are not only a danger to themselves, they are a danger to their passengers and other motorists who are on the road. Relying on law enforcement and the decision-making skills of drivers who drink are not sufficient enough to prevent this type of behavior from occurring. By learning what actions and behaviors drivers tend to exhibit when they are intoxicated, the roads can become a safer place.
According to CDL Life, some of the less obvious signs of drunk driving are the use of wrong turn signals and failing to signal at all; driving much slower than posted speed limits and flow of traffic and excessive use of brakes and tailgating. The more obvious indicators that a driver has had too much to drink include drinking while driving and swerving on the road.
Motorists are not encouraged to follow drunk drivers but can do so if it is absolutely safe enough for them to do so, states The Press Democrat. They should be prepared to describe to the authorities specific driving behaviors that the person they are reporting is exhibiting. Information that can help law enforcement to catch these offenders include the direction of travel and the color, model, make and license plate of the drunken motorist’s vehicle. Drivers who suspect other motorists of drunk driving should pull over to the side of the road to remove themselves from harm’s way before contacting the police if they are not able or unwilling to follow the suspected drunken driver.
Motorists who are able to recognize the signs of drunk driving are able to keep themselves from becoming involved in motor vehicle accidents that are caused by them.