The Oregon State Police Department recently issued a reminder to all of us sharing the roads – bicyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and motorists – that we share responsibility for keeping our streets safe. Here are the signs of a drunk driver from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (to see the full list please visit www.MADD.org)
Signs of a drunk driver:
- Stopping without cause, or erratic braking
- Drifting in and out of traffic lanes
- Signaling that is inconsistent with driving actions
- Slow response to traffic signals
- Straddling the center lane marker
- Swerving
- Driving slower than 10 mph below the speed limit
If you see a driver exhibiting these signs, your safety may be at risk. Drive defensively: stay as far back from the drunk driver as possible, and do not try to pass the vehicle. If you can safely do so, note the vehicle’s make, model, color and license plate number.
Pull over: call 9-1-1, or in Oregon 1-800-24DRUNK, or have a passenger make the call. Give the operator a license plate and/or vehicle description, the car’s location and direction of travel, and explain what the vehicle is doing.
You can check current Oregon road and traffic conditions at www.tripcheck.org, and Washington traffic at www.wsdot.com/traffic
About the Author
Tom D'Amore is the founder of D'Amore Law Group and a trial attorney with over 30 years of experience representing injured people and their families across the West Coast, securing more than $325 million in recoveries. He handles cases involving
car accidents,
trucking accidents,
construction injuries,
medical malpractice, and
sexual abuse. Licensed in Oregon, Washington, and California, Tom is the only NBTA board-certified truck accident attorney in Oregon. He is a national Board of Governors member, past Executive Committee member, and past Budget and Audit Chair of the American Association for Justice, as well as past President of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and an Eagle member of the Washington State Association for Justice.
