Avoid Car Accidents by Not Driving Under Influence of Stupid
December 9, 2011: A lot has been said about driving under the influence of alcohol. And nobody hates that more than I do. I’ve made wrongful death claims for clients whose loved ones were killed by a drunk driver. I believe it is a scourge on our society.
But drunk driving is just one part of a larger problem, which I call “driving under the influence of stupid.” We’ve all done stupid things while we were driving. And we usually thought later, “My God! That could’ve gotten me (or all of us) killed! What was I thinking?” Well, identifying a problem and recognizing the signs, are first steps toward limiting, if not eliminating, the problem. So let’s look at some of the things people do that fall under the category of “driving under the influence of stupid.”
Driving drunk is the obvious one. There is no excuse for it.
Starting to drink when you know you’re going to drive. When someone starts drinking, knowing they have to drive home, or that they will most likely drive home, rather than having a designated sober driver, they’ve already started to drive under the influence of stupid. While they’re still sober.
Texting while driving. This one is so obvious, it needs no comment.
Most cell phone usage while driving. Not only is it against the law, unless you have a hands-free phone, but it is also very distracting. Even hands-free is not all that safe. Yes, some people claim it’s no different than talking to someone in the car with you. Sometimes that’s true. But more often it’s not, because you are visualizing the situation your caller is in, rather than focusing on your driving.
Gawking at traffic accidents. Or at other distractions. One that gets me is staring at the hang-gliders just to the east of Issaquah, near I-90.
Putting on makeup. Or similar sorts of activities. Really bad when you have to use the mirror. Checking your hair, face, teeth, etc., in the mirror, is the same sort of problem.
Looking down to pick up something from the floor. If it’s important enough that you get it right away, pull to the side of the road.
Driving while sleepy. If you didn’t get enough rest last night, postpone your trip or let someone else drive. If that’s not possible, then drive with your window open. Pull over and take a short walk if you still get sleepy. Anything to keep those eyelids open and you alert. See my other suggestions on avoiding car accidents when you’re sleepy.
Following too close. Tailgating obviously puts you in a situation where you don’t have enough reaction time if the car in front of you has to stop quickly. In addition, you can usually avoid becoming a car accident victim by leaving more following space.
Getting hacked off. Even if you’ve just been cut off in traffic, getting hacked off about it will only make you drive less safely. So cool your jets and get home safely.
Driving too fast. I’m not talking about going a few miles over the speed limit in good driving conditions. We know we shouldn’t, but we often do it. No, I mean the more obvious stuff, like driving way over the speed limit. Or even maintaining the speed limit in a downpour or on icy roads. These things lead to car accidents because we have less control of our cars in such conditions.
Taking needless chances. You really want to pass that slowpoke driver, and you think you can make it, so you pull out to zoom around him. I’m sorry, but if you only think you can make it, that’s driving under the influence of stupid. You have to know without a doubt that you can make it!
Letting friends drive under the influence of stupid. Or even riding with them when they are doing that. Sure, you have to be tactful. But speak up. Tell them they are not completely safe to drive if they are intoxicated or sleepy, or texting, etc. Tactfully offer to drive for them. Or just don’t go with them. Yes, you may make your friend mad at you. But you will be safer and may avoid a devastating car accident.
If you avoid driving under the influence of stupid, or even greatly reduce it in your driving, chances are you can avoid car accidents and never need the services of a personal injury attorney.