Nov 6, 2023 | Driver Safety, DUI & DWI
No one wants to be out on the road with a drunk driver. They are a hazard that can cause accidents, injuries, or even death. Their judgement will be impaired, making them very dangerous. When you are driving, you will want to know what to be on the lookout for so that you can avoid an intoxicated driver.
How-to: Spot a Drunk Driver on the Road: Safe Driving
Not Staying in Their Lane
It is common for a drunk driver to not be able to stay in his or her lane. Watch out for anyone who seems to be swerving or zig-zagging in and out of their lane. Another sign of someone who is driving while intoxicated is drifting. This is when someone is moving in a straight-line at a slight angle to the roadway. Additionally, it is possible for someone who is drinking and driving to be in the center or on the wrong side of the road. This could lead to a deadly, head-on collision.
Delayed Reactions
An impaired driver will have delayed reactions and erratic movements. This is because alcohol impairs your judgement and reaction time. Slowly reacting to traffic signals. A drunk driver may be slow to react to traffic signals. The car may signal lane changes that are not consistent with the driver’s actions. Also, they may also turn very suddenly, abruptly or way too wide. Another sign would be speeding up or slowing down too quickly or slowly for the conditions. These reactions are going to be things that police officers will look out for as well.
Night Driving
Keep in mind that is may be difficult to even see a drunk driver coming at night. This is because they may not remember to turn on their lights. This can pose an even greater threat to the possibility that they could also be driving on the wrong side of the road. You have to make sure that you area alert and prepared with defensive driving techniques so that you can react as quickly and safely as possible.
How-to React
Do not try and chase down a drunk driver. You never know how the driver could react, so certainly do not attempt to detain them if you do catch up to them. Put distance between your car and their car, because you do not know how they will react. Do a check to make you that all of your passengers buckle up, in case you do get in an accident.
One of the best steps you can take is to call the 911 and report the driver. Give them as much information as you can about the car and driver. This may include the location of the car, or the vehicle’s color, make and model. Try and make note of the license plate as well, so that it helps the police or medics be able to easier find the driver. Keep in mind that a person who looks like they are driving impaired could actually be having a medical emergency. Therefore, getting them help right away could be crucial to saving their life, and preventing an accident.
Feb 17, 2023 | drinking, DUI & DWI
Addiction is not just something which affects adults. In fact, youth addiction is a serious problem as well. As such, it’s important for parents to know what they can do to help their kids avoid these substances, or help them get clean…
Youth Addiction: Offering Help
Addiction factors
There’s a lot of factors behind youth addiction. For instance, it could be a result of things such as social influences. Their friends may try and convince them to take these substances because it’s “cool” or “adult-like.” This sort of peer pressure causes many youths to go overboard and end up with an addiction.
However, psychological factors can also contribute to an addiction. If a kid is struggling with something like depression, then they may turn to drugs to try and cope. Other times, it may even be family members or friends whose behavior encourages kids to use these drugs and become addicted because they think it’s okay to do so.
Abused substances
Like with the factors, there’s also many different substances which are involved in youth addiction. Alcohol is probably to most common kind. This is because it’s relatively easier for younger people to get their hands on it. Plus, with how it’s more accepted in adult society, kids don’t fully understand just how dangerous it can be.
In recent times, many younger people have also been developing addictions to opioids. In particular, stimulants and sedatives have been growing in popularity. The former is used mainly by students to try and improve their study and test-taking abilities. The latter is more used in a party context to help them relax, and is frequently taken with alcohol, which is a very dangerous combination.
Providing help
The best way to curb youth addiction is for parents to talk to their kids. Sitting down with them and letting them know about the dangerous is key. Many times, kids simply just don’t know how dangerous or addictive these substances are. By informing them, you can better encourage them to make smarter decisions.
At the same time, parents should also show that they still love and support their kids if they are struggling with an addiction. Odds are, they already feel like they have let you down. By showing you are willing to support them getting clean, this can help encourage them to get the treatment they need.
Sep 4, 2022 | DUI & DWI
Someone you know and love has just gotten a DWI. Do you just write them off, or do you hang around and be there for them. This does not mean that you have completely taken full responsibility for your friend. Getting through a DWI can be emotionally draining and confusing. A friend who got a DWI charge could always use a little extra emotional support from another friend, or have someone believe in them. Remember that their bad decisions do not automatically make them a bad person.
How-to: Help a Friend Who Got a DWI Charge: Be Encouraging
Encourage
Encourage your friend to be proactive with their DWI charge. Being proactive could show a judge that your friend is serious about not getting another DWI in the future. Ways they could be proactive would be to attend AA meetings. Also, you could always go with them to be supportive, if possible. Encourage them to take an alcohol awareness class or seek treatment as well.
While you can encourage them, do not enable them. The best way to ensure that they do not drink and drive again is to let them learn from it. This means that they need to take responsibility for their actions and face their penalties. For example, they need to pay all of the associated fines and face their own consequences. In fact, you jumping in to save the day will not help them to learn anything. While you can be there for them, they need to learn the consequences and dangers of drinking and driving for themself.
Listen
Your friend who got a DWI charge will likely be going through some tough days. Do your best to be supportive and listen if they need someone to talk to. For instance, they may be too embarrassed or afraid to talk to many people about what they went through or are going through. Be a good, trustworthy friend and be there for your friend. Keep their private things private, as they are not going to want you to tell everyone what they confided in you.
While you do not want to let your friend take advantage of you or run all over you, it is a good idea to help a friend who got a DWI charge. You can be there in different ways like listening to them and being encouraging to them.
Apr 2, 2021 | drinking, DUI & DWI
If you’re looking to get sober, then outside support is going to be very important. Still, you want to make sure you don’t surround yourself with people who may encourage negative behavior. There’s a few traits in particular you’ll want to make sure they have…
Outside Support: Find Positive Help
Be there when you need them
Good outside support will consist of people who’ll be there when you need their help. The last thing you want to do is rely on people who are unreliable. It could be that they either ignore your calls or texts, or always have an excuse as to why they can’t help. While there may be times where they are genuinely busy, it shouldn’t be that they can never help you when you ask.
Instead, you want to ask more reliable friends and family for help. There are the people who will be there practically any time you ask. This is important, because things like withdrawal symptoms can go from being no issue to severe very suddenly. Knowing you have people you can consistently rely on is key for your recovery.
Hold you accountable
It’s also important that your outside support holds you accountable. While you want to live a healthier lifestyle, that can be easier said than done. It’s possible that your cravings can get quite bad, and you’ll be tempted to relapse. However, having people who will help you stick to your goals can keep you on the right path.
When things get tough, your support system should give you some positive reinforcement. At the same time, they should also be able to ask you if you’re sticking to your plan and keeping clean. If they themselves went through what you’re dealing with, then they can also offer you some advice which you might find valuable.
Avoid bad influences
One thing you don’t want your outside support to do is influence you in a negative way. Usually, this happens if they themselves continue to drink or take drugs. It’s possible that they could try and pressure you to stop trying to get sober, rather than help you keep clean.
In these situations, the best thing to do is to cut these people out of your life. It can be tough, especially if you’ve known them for a while. Still, you don’t want to put your own efforts at a higher risk than necessary.
Dec 30, 2020 | drinking, DUI & DWI
The holidays are coming, and that means visiting friends and family, attending parties, and indulging in festive foods and drinks. There are parades, crowded stores filled with holiday shoppers, and indoor gatherings. However, with the pandemic this year, is any of that even possible? This year, there are more things to consider for these gatherings than just drunk drivers after a holiday party. Before you invite all of your friends and family over, it is important to know how to safely host a holiday gathering during Covid.
How-to: Safely Host a Holiday Gathering During Covid: Be Wise and Considerate
Reconsider
The only guaranteed way to safely host a holiday gathering during COVID is to reconsider having a get-together this year at all. COVID is certainly not a holiday gift that anyone wants to receive. The more people you are around, the higher your risk is for getting COVID. While it is not replacing gathering in-person, many medical professionals recommend finding virtual substitutes for family holiday traditions. While masks and social distancing can help, the only way to completely reduce the risk of infections is to remain separated.
Testing and Precautions
If you do choose to host a holiday gathering during COVID, there are some added precautions you can take. For example, your guests can agree to quarantine before the event. This will reduce the risk that they will contract the virus from someone else who has it, then bring it to you. You do run the risk that your attendees may break the quarantine or not be as diligent as you would like.
Another option would be for you to have your guests take a COVID test as close to the event as possible. Then, they should quarantine up until your event. This may be easier to ask for a family gathering than it would be for friends attending a party. Neither of these options is guaranteed to prevent COVID, but they can lower the risk.
Meals and Logistics
You may need to rethink the menu options you have at your holiday gathering during COVID. Instead of a buffet-style set up, a better option would be to serve individual plates of food. This keeps the number of people coming into contact with the food to a minimum. The person plating the food should be wearing a mask. When possible, use touchless garbage cans during cleanup.
Instead of opting for an indoor gathering, hold your event outdoors. However, this is not always possible depending on where you live. If your event has to be indoors, invite fewer guests. Also, have your guests wear masks when they are not eating.
While there is no perfect way to have a holiday gathering during COVID, these tips can help keep you and your guests safer. However, it’s good to remember that the best way to reduce your risk of COVID at a holiday gathering is to make it a virtual gathering instead.
Nov 13, 2019 | drinking, DUI & DWI
Drunk drivers are a serious risk to others when they’re on the road. That’s why DUI detection is an important part of a police officer’s job. Knowing these methods could help you in identifying potential drunk drivers as well…
DUI Detection: How Police ID Drunk Drivers
Driving behavior
A person’s driving behavior plays a large role in DUI detection. Due to the effects of alcohol, drunk drivers will tend to drive much more poorly than their sober counterparts. These changes in driving behavior can then indicate to an officer that something might not be right with the driver themselves.
There are plenty of ways in which driving can indicate whether a person is impaired. However, some tells stand out more than others… For example, constant swerving in-between lanes is a common sign of a drunk driver, as is following other drivers too closely, or aggressive speeding.
Sobriety tests
Driving behavior is a good way to pick out potential drunk drivers. However, officers will need to perform a more in-depth look at the driver before making any decisions. That’s why they’ll use other methods of DUI detection as well, such as field sobriety tests.
Field sobriety tests tend to focus on some key areas that alcohol negatively effects. These include a person’s balance, tracking skills, memory, and decision making. These tests give the officer a better indication of whether or not the driver is impaired. After concluding these physical tests they will decide whether or not to move onto a breathalyzer test.
Breathalyzers
Breathalyzers are another form of DUI detection. Often times, offices will use these devices alongside a field sobriety test. That way, an officer will have some “hard” data to help them determine their course of action. The way that a driver performs on their field sobriety tests, combined with their BAC, and other factors will help officers make the call in terms of DUI detection and arrest.
Of course, you can use some of these detection methods as well. Of course, you won’t be pulling anyone over if you see them driving poorly. However, if they appear to be under the influence, you can make the call and let emergency services know what is going on. Knowing what officers look for can help you know what to look for as well.
