With the holiday season just around the corner, you’re probably one of many people in Louisiana and throughout the country who are getting ready to celebrate with family and friends. Do you often find yourself forgetting to pick up something at the store or missing a needed ingredient on your pantry shelves just before hosting a holiday party?
This might prompt several jaunts to the nearest grocery or convenience store. Unfortunately, roadways are often especially dangerous during the holidays because of drunk drivers. So, the more often you take to the road to drive, the greater chance you have of being in a collision. Alcohol affects every person differently, which is why there are laws against drinking and driving.
Drunk drivers have slower reaction times
Every time you get behind the wheel of a car to drive, you must be alert and ready to quickly and safely react to changes in traffic patterns or when you suddenly come upon a hazard on the road. If you’re sharing the road with a drunk driver, chances are that his or her reaction time has substantially slowed because of the effects that alcohol has on the brain.
People who are intoxicated often can’t think straight
When you’re driving, you typically implement thinking and reasoning skills. For instance, if you notice a traffic jam up ahead, you might determine it best to take the nearest exit and find an alternate route. A person who has consumed alcohol before driving might not be able to think clearly.
Inability to form a coherent thought greatly increases the risk for collision. A person who is foggy-brained might think it’s safe to maneuver a pass because he doesn’t even notice that you’re in the left lane. Issues like this often arise when a drunk driver is on the road.
A drunk driver has trouble with depth perception and vision
Misjudging distance or having blurred vision is a recipe for disaster when a person is operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Even if you witness a car veering out of its lane, you might not have time or the ability to react quickly or safely enough to avoid a collision.
A collision can bring holiday joy to a screeching halt
Not only will you not make it to the store to get the items you need for the holidays if a drunk driver hits you, but you might also wind up spending your holiday break in the hospital or recuperating at home from your injuries. Suffering injuries in a collision is emotionally traumatic, as well as physically painful.
When you know that a collision may have been preventable were it not for someone’s irresponsible decision to drink and drive, it makes matters even worse. Medical bills and other costs associated with a collision can also add financial distress to your holiday season. This is one of the reasons why the law enables victims of drunk driving accidents to seek financial recovery for their losses in court.