Motorcyclists have to be aware of potentially unpredictable dangers on the road, paying attention to every detail of their surroundings so they can be ready to react within seconds. During the holiday season, there are more drunk drivers on the roads, especially around New Year’s Day.

Federal statistics on drunk driving show that the problem is widespread. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 1,166,824 Americans were arrested in 2013 for driving under the influence. Alcohol Monitoring Systems, a maker of alcohol monitoring devices, such as the ankle bracelet, estimate that drinking and driving increases 155 percent on New Year’s Day.

How Can Motorcyclists Spot Drunk Drivers?

Centers for Disease Control statistics estimate that over 700 people will die in alcohol related car accidents between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Not only are there more cars on the road, but there are more social gatherings with drinking that create opportunities for drunk driving accidents to occur.

Attentive drivers are a lot less likely to hit a motorcyclist, because they are paying close attention to their surroundings. Alternatively, drunk drivers do not have the attention span or reaction time to pay attention to and react quickly to their surroundings.

It is important that a motorcyclist know how to spot a drunk driver so the possibility of a motorcycle accident can be avoided. Drunk drivers are likely to quickly accelerate or decelerate, tailgate, weave and zigzag, slowly respond to changes in traffic and respond slowly to lights. Other signs of an impaired driver include driving without headlights on, inability to stay in their lane and erratic braking.

If someone is driving unsafely, give the driver as much room as possible and do not try to pass them. Drunk drivers have a slowed reaction time and are not likely to be watching for motorcyclists, so do not get too close. If you have strong reason to suspect that someone is driving under the influence, pull over and call 911 to report them.

Metier Law Firm utilizes years of experience as motorcycle accident attorneys to help our fellow motorcyclists recover from their injuries. Please visit our Facebook and Twitter pages today to join our community.

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Did You Know? Colorado had 12,490 DUI arrests and 1,043 crash-related injuries in 2012.

Learn more about how drunk driving puts the public in danger by visiting the Centers for Disease Control website.