As you travel to and from your destinations each day, you may share Pennsylvania roads with countless others. Although you might have little to no control over the actions of nearby drivers, at least a portion of your safety may rest in their hands, and their decisions could have a significant impact on your well-being.
Many of those you encounter on the road may share your desire to stay safe and practice defensive driving. However, should you cross paths with someone who is driving while under the influence, there may be little you can do to respond to such negligence and escape to safety before disaster strikes.
The impact of impairment
There may be numerous components that play an integral role in the safe operation of a motor vehicle, and anything that affects these components could prove dangerous at best. Some of the ways that impairment could disrupt your driving capabilities might include:
- Driver response: Studies indicate that impairment reduces driver response times. Anything that affects your ability to respond to whatever comes your way can be exceedingly hazardous.
- Driver focus: The ability to focus on the task at hand is also an essential component to safe driving, and the presence of impairment may increase the risk of distraction.
- Motor skills: Impaired drivers may also struggle with hand-eye coordination, and your motor skills might not function properly while under the influence.
- Snap decisions: Impairment may also impact your ability to make snap judgment calls while behind the wheel, and delayed decisions could create dangerous scenarios.
- Tracking and memory: Those who drive while under the influence may also struggle to track nearby vehicles or objects, and such issues can also affect your memory and increase the risk of confusion.
The presence of impairment may act to increase the chance a dangerous collision might occur. Crashes involving such negligence could also run a greater risk of carrying dire repercussions.
Aftermath of an accident
It is no secret that a major collision can occur in the blink of an eye, and in that moment, your life could experience significant change. Such incidents run the risk of leaving you with life-altering injuries and facing extensive financial hurdles that can accompany the costs of medical care and recovery. Your injuries may affect your quality of life and your ability to carry out everyday tasks. The aftermath of the incident could leave you with questions about your available options and the next steps to take.