There is nothing that grates me more than hearing some dumbass explain to me that he/she drives better when he/she is drunk because they drive more cautiously. No my friend, you are just a tool!
There is absolutely no excuse to drive drunk. You have every means to avoid drinking and driving whether it be getting home via a taxi service, a take-me-home service or by just not drinking and driving. It is really that easy.
DRUNK DRIVERS ON THE RISE
MasterDrive has sent out its press release on the crime stats that were released. It does not look good!
The managing director of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, says despite extensive efforts to educate and encourage drivers to avoid driving under the influence, we are not seeing the decreases we should. “While we shouldn’t lessen our efforts to decrease the number of impaired drivers, we can improve our efforts to help unimpaired drivers avoid the danger that these drivers present,” says Herbert.
THE FRUSTRATION IS REAL
No matter how many times I tell a friend that it is not ok to drink and drive, I cannot control what each and every person decides for themselves. What bothers me most in this situation is that you are also deciding for other road users. You might just destroy someone else’s life because YOU chose to drink and drive.
MASTERDRIVE TO THE RESCUE
Because we can’t control the idiot drunk drivers out there, MasterDrive has provided the following tips on how to identify and what to do, should you suspect a driver has consumed drugs or alcohol:
- If a driver is weaving in their lane or hugging the centre line, increase the space between your vehicles and immediately put some distance between yourselves as soon as it is safe to do so.
- Be aware the vision of drunk drivers can be severely affected and you should avoid travelling in front of these drivers. It is easy for them to make errors in judgement.
- Additionally, avoid driving in front of a driver you believe is impaired as they may use your car for guidance and tailgate your vehicle increasing the risk of a rear-end crash.
- Conversely, do not drive too closely to a driver that appears impaired as they often brake unnecessarily and suddenly.
- Be cautious of impaired drivers that sometimes overcompensate by driving too slowly for the conditions.
- Pay extra attention when the drunk driver approaches intersections or four-way stops. They tend to make errors like stopping at green lights or may not see a stop sign at all. The same applies when there are hazards in or close to the side of the road. For example, the driver is likely to fail to identify stationary vehicles
- If you are driving on a single-lane road, rather increase the distance between yourself and the driver than risk overtaking them.
- Do not engage with the drunk drivers. Rather focus your attention on placing distance between yourselves.
- If you have Bluetooth, and it will not remove your attention from the impaired driver, call the authorities as soon as you can.
CHANGE YOUR MINDSET
If you decide to never drink and drive again and plan accordingly, you will realise just how easy it is. Once you have altered your mindset, you will never go back again. Just think, you might be saving someone else’s life by making this decision…or even saving your own.
