Tips to avoid drunk drivers

THE release of the 2018/2019 crime statistics indicate drunk driving is on the increase.

Commenting on the frightening number of driving under the influence arrests, MasterDrive’s Eugene Herbert said despite extensive efforts to educate and encourage drivers to avoid driving under the influence, ‘we are not seeing the decreases we should’.

‘While we shouldn’t lessen our efforts to decrease the number of impaired drivers, we can improve our efforts to help unimpaired drivers avoid the danger that these drivers present,’ said Herbert.

MasterDrive, a company specialising in advance driver training, provided the following tips on how to identify and what to do to avoid a driver who you suspect has consumed drugs or alcohol:

• If a driver is weaving in their lane or hugging the centre line, increase the space between your vehicles and immediately put some distance between yourselves as soon as it is safe to do so.

• Be aware the vision of drunk drivers can be severely affected and you should avoid travelling in front of these drivers. It is easy for them to make errors in judgement.

• Additionally, avoid driving in front of a driver you believe is impaired as they may use your car for guidance and tailgate your vehicle, increasing the risk of a rear-end crash.

• Conversely, do not drive too closely to a driver that appears impaired as they often brake unnecessarily and suddenly.

• Be cautious of impaired drivers that sometimes overcompensate by driving too slowly for the conditions.

• Pay extra attention when the drunk driver approaches intersections or four-way stops. They tend to make errors such as stopping at green lights or may not see a stop sign at all. The same applies when there are hazards in or close to the side of the road. For example, the driver is likely to fail to identify stationary vehicles.

• If you are driving on a single lane road, rather increase the distance between yourself and the driver than risk overtaking them.

• Do not engage with the drunk drivers. Rather focus your attention on placing distance between yourselves.

• If you have Bluetooth, and it will not remove your attention from the impaired driver, call the authorities as soon as you can.

‘While we may not be successful at reducing the number of impaired drivers on the road, we can train ourselves on how to react when we encounter them on the road,’ Herbert concluded.

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