How to Spot a Drunk Driver and Respond Appropriately

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) findings, traffic accidents are the largest single cause of death for people ages 5 to 27, and almost 50 percent of these accidents are alcohol-related. Check out these guidelines for spotting drunk drivers; they follow the recommendations of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the NHTSA.

Things You'll Need

• White Paper
• Toy Phones
• White paper

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Instructions

Warning Signs

• 1

  Watch out for cars that zigzag across lanes or make wide turns. Be wary of other erratic driving such as rapid braking and accelerating, or delayed responses to traffic signals.

• 2

  Be alert to drivers who move in a straight line at an angle to the direction of the road or who swerve dangerously close to the curb or to objects along the road.

• 3

  Look for cars that drive in two lanes at once or along the dividing line, or that drive on the wrong side of or even off the road.

• 4

  Watch out for cars driving with headlights off at night, that drive 10 mph or more below the speed limit, or that follow you or others too closely.

• 5

  Beware of drivers whose signals are inconsistent with their actions.

What to Do

• 6

  Stay clear of the suspected drunk driver.

• 7

  Jot down the car's license plate number and vehicle description and call the police at 911 or *SP on your cellular phone. Report your location, the car's direction of travel and the driver's behavior.

• 8

  Let the authorities handle the situation.