Each day you get in your vehicle, you never know if it will be your last time doing so. Every day, in Wisconsin and all across the nation, motorists and pedestrians lose their lives to drugged driving accidents. Individuals who survive them often have to deal with the long-term and devastating medical, emotional and financial consequences of another person’s negligent driving actions due to drugs, alcohol or both.
Drugged driving is not exclusive to drivers who use narcotics before getting behind the wheel. It also involves people who drink alcohol or use marijuana, over-the-counter supplements or prescriptions medications like opioids, assuming doing so is okay. Any substance that alters a person’s brain can cause driving impairment and recklessness. The symptoms often manifest as altered perception, poor decision-making skills, cognitive impairment and the impairment of other skills essential for safe and responsible driving.
It is not always easy for unintoxicated motorists to recognize when they are driving near impaired drivers. Therefore, it is essential for all motorists to exercise caution and due diligence while operating their vehicles responsibly to avoid severe car accident injuries and death.
In addition to drugged drivers, there are other hazards that could impact road and driving conditions at any given time, such as:
- Road construction
- Defective vehicles
- Human error
- Driver and pedestrian distractions
- Poor road design
- Adverse weather conditions
It does not take much for a person to become inebriated or impaired off a substance. It also does not take much force to seriously injure or kill someone in a car crash. Many impaired driving accidents involve slow speeds.
To stay safe, motorists should avoid traveling during times when drunk and drug accidents happen more often (late at night, weekends and the early morning hours). They should also report all signs of suspicious driving to the authorities. No amount of training and experience can reduce the motor vehicle collision rate to zero. However, responsible and attentive driving can mitigate the chances of a collision with drugged motorists.
