While navigating along Pennsylvania roads, it might not be easy to imagine how the decisions of others nearby could affect your well-being. Unfortunately, issues such as impaired driving continue to be a major concern in many areas. Should you encounter such negligence, there might be little you can do to avoid a potential disaster.
While most drivers may be aware of how dangerous drunk driving can be, they might not fully grasp how impairment can affect driving capabilities. Knowing the risks involved may help you prepare to avoid such behavior, but you might not always be able to rely on others around you to take the same approach.
The impact
Studies indicate that the presence of impairment can affect your ability to safely navigate a motor vehicle in various ways, some of which may include:
- Response times: Studies indicate that impairment can have a significant impact on driver response times. Those who struggle to react to scenarios that arise may run a greater risk of creating a hazardous scenario.
- Driver focus: Impairment can also take a significant toll on your ability to focus or maintain awareness of your surroundings, both of which are essential components to safe driving.
- Motor skills: Impaired drivers may also suffer from a lack of coordination. As motor skills are vital to maintaining proper lane control and speed, this could prove exceedingly dangerous.
- Snap judgments: The ability to make snap judgment calls is also integral to safe driving. Unfortunately, impaired drivers might struggle to interpret information and make sound driving decisions.
- Impact on vision: Impairment can also take a toll on your vision and make it difficult for you to track nearby objects or spot potential hazards, which can prove hazardous under any situation.
It may also be helpful to know that the effects of impairment on driving capabilities may only increase in severity as blood alcohol content rises.
The fallout
Drunk driving continues to play a role in many major collisions, and it can be difficult to detect the presence of an impaired driver in time to avoid the unimaginable. Suffering severe or life-altering harm in a collision due to the decisions of another party can prove a difficult outcome to accept. Adjusting to the changes this might bring to your life can be stressful and challenging, and the fallout of your situation may leave you with questions about the available options to help protect your future interests.