Drunk Drivers In Your Neighborhood - Community Watch Paper

Drunk drivers either on the road or in your neighborhood can put the other’s life in danger. The consequences of drunk driving are pretty high as it can get everyone involved in some fatal accident!

The figures show that more than 10,000 people have been killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents over the last couple of years. In addition, almost 1.5 million people get arrested each year just because of drunk driving. The number depicts how severe and dangerous it is to have a drunk driver on the road.

If you suspect having a drunk driver in your neighborhood, call the legal authorities so that they can take lawful action against the suspicious person. And if you are much curious to learn more about this public issue, continue your reading!

Drink Driving Issues

Driving requires concentration and attention. Remain alert when you are on the road, which does not remain possible when you are drunk. In many countries, they have strict rules regarding drunk drivers.

Alcohol is a mood-changing drug that can slow down your nervous system, thus affecting your driving abilities badly. There should be no place for drunk drivers on the road. Above all, drink driving becomes a cause of severe injuries and death of many people.

Drink Driving: The Legal Limit

The amount of alcohol that anyone can consume before driving is dependent on various factors, including age, sex, and metabolism. Besides it, the type of alcohol you are consuming and stress are other factors that can decide the amount of alcohol you must take before going to the road.

Well, the legal limit for drunk drivers varies from country to country. But, in the USA, if your BAC or blood alcohol concentration is either 0.08% or above, you are legally not allowed to drive.

How Alcohol Affects Drivers?

Many drunk drivers think that they are capable of driving or they are going safely. But in actuality, in both situations, they are not. Alcohol can damage their ability to judge, react and sense reality.

Alcohol affects the ability of riders because of the following reasons:

Drowsiness
Delayed reaction times
Impaired assessment of the risks
Blurred vision
Inability to think and react
Reduced ability to interpret the road signs or speed limits
Drunk drivers lose the ability to plan
Inability to judge their position on the road
Drunk drivers used to cross the centerline
Reduced concentration

How To Spot a Drunk Driver?

You may found a driver suspected of being drunk either on the road or in your neighborhood. And this can make you curious as well the suspect was drunk or not. So, here are some of the loudest signs which can help you to know whether someone is drunk or not:

Slowing just below the speed limit
Sudden and abrupt turns
Driving in the wrong lane or wrong side of the road
Stopping in the traffic
Horrible braking and acceleration
Going in the center of the road
Fails to respond to the traffic lights

If the driver is showing these signs, it has been confirmed that you have a drunk driver in your neighborhood.

What If I Have A Drunk Driver In My Neighborhood?

There are many times when you have encountered your neighbor drunk and driving so rashly. So, what are you waiting for? Even if this time again his car begins to swerve dangerously just before you, contact the police.

When you are a responsible citizen, try to report drunk drivers; everyone starts shouting at you. But, if you are assured that the driver swerves because he is drunk, not because he is tired, go to the legal authorities and submit your complaint.

Four Steps To Reporting a Drink Driver

The following are the steps that you can follow while submitting your complaint:

If it is safe, talk to them and try to convince them as well. You can also give them your opinion like they can get a Uber instead of driving themselves. Just follow this strategy, whether they are your friends or not.
If possible, you can also talk to the bar staff or other security staff as these people are trained to tackle such types of people.
But, if nothing seems possible, you can call 999 or the police as soon as you witnessed a drunk driver near you. These legal officials can handle such types of cases very efficiently.
But, make sure that you can tell the vehicle number, registration number, and other required details to the officials. Police or officials can take action against the suspect and deal with the situation according to the law.

How To Prevent Your Neighbor From Driving Impaired?

Here are the steps which you can take to stop your friend from drunk driving:

Talk to your neighbor politely and ask them not to take alcohol before driving the car.
You can take the car keys from your neighbor so that they would not drive.
You can also talk to them privately and ask them to hire a cab, instead of driving themselves.
Beware them of the consequences of drunk driving. For instance, they can lose their license, would have to pay penalties.
You can ask your neighbor to attend a treatment program.

Conclusion

Every one of us is well aware of the fact that drunk driving is impaired. And the statistics are more alarming, as, after every 48 minutes, someone injures or dies during road accidents. The worst thing is that this number goes on increasing with each passing day.

So, if you want to assure the safety of your loved ones and others on the road, let the police know if a drunk driver lives in your neighborhood. The authority holder will catch these accountable according to law and make sure that every one of us would feel safe and secure on the road! CWP

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References