Traveling in Louisiana can range from uneventful to exciting or highly stressful and dangerous. The problem is that you never know which it will be when you get behind the wheel. In fact, it might fluctuate between any or all of these descriptions in a single road trip. All you can do is adhere to traffic laws and safety regulations, and try to remain as alert and prepared to react as possible, in case a problem suddenly arises.
In a perfect world, all motorists would act this way and there would be no accidents. In reality, it’s often a very different story. You or your loved one might suffer serious injury because another driver made an irresponsible choice to illegally operate a motor vehicle after consuming alcohol. Surviving a drunk driving collision can devastate lives, not only the actual victim’s life but families, as well. It’s critical to know where to seek post-accident support if tragedy strikes.
Know the signs ahead of time
It’s sometimes possible to avoid collision if you witness a potential problem on the road and are able to swiftly and safely react to avert an accident. More times than not, however, there might not be enough time due to the number of vehicles traveling at full speed on the roadway. The following list shows driving behaviors that should raise your concerns that you might be sharing the road with a drunk driver:
- One of the most common errors drunk drivers make is forgetting to turn headlights on when traveling after dusk. If you encounter this issue on the road, beware because the driver of the vehicle might be an intoxicated driver.
- Intoxication affects the human brain in many ways. A drunk driver often has trouble keeping with current traffic patterns and might randomly apply brakes or suddenly accelerate, causing potential hazard to other drivers or pedestrians.
- Gauging a turn is another task that often proves difficult for someone who has consumed alcohol before driving. If you notice a vehicle taking a bend far too widely or so tightly that the car clips a curb or almost hits another object, it’s a definite sign that the driver might be a drunk driver.
- Drunk drivers often sit at the edge of their seats with a tight grip on their steering wheels. They might strain their necks forward, as though they’re trying to get as close to the windshield as possible.
- Many fatal accidents occur when drunk drivers veer out of their lanes or merge on roadways, headed the wrong way.
Throughout Louisiana and the entire country, many families have lost loved ones because of drunk drivers. If you or your family member suffer injury because another person was negligent and reckless, you may face many challenges in the days and months ahead. Not only is physical recovery often arduous, the financial implications of a drunk driving accident can be strenuous, as well. Many accident victims take recourse through the civil justice system to seek monetary judgment against drunk drivers, then use court-awarded compensation to help offset accident-related expenses.
