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Drunk Driving: A Sobering Danger to North Carolina Drivers

By R. Kenneth Helms, Jr. October 7, 2019

Personal Injury

Do You Need a Car Accident Attorney?

Drunk driving is a hazard across the entire country, and the roads in North Carolina are no exception. In 2017, there were 11,342 drunk driving related crashes in North Carolina, which caused 368 fatalities. These accidents also caused 7,922 injuries. Even though wrecks attributable to drunk or intoxicated driving are frequent in this state, many people do not know what they need to do if they are involved in an accident with an intoxicated driver.

How to Spot and Report a Drunk Driver

Being able to see a drunk driver may help you prevent a collision. There are a few signs that many intoxicated drivers exhibit. These signs include swerving in and out of their lane, driving too close to the center line or shoulder, reacting slowly, tailgating, driving in the dark without lights, driving too slowly, and/or speeding up suddenly.

If you encounter a drunk driver, you need to report the driver to your local law enforcement. Reporting these drivers may prevent accidents from happening and save lives. Try to give law enforcement the best possible description of the vehicle that you can including the make, model, and color of the vehicle. If you can record the license plate information, that is also helpful.

What Should I do if I am Hit by a Drunk Driver?

Even when taking all the precautions, you may still find yourself in an accident with a drunk driver someday. If this happens, take the following steps:

• Call emergency help – Check for injuries and even if you believe your injuries are minor, call the police. The police will divert traffic and stop additional collisions. They will also write a report that will make it easier to give information to your insurance company. In addition, the officer will likely be able to determine if the other driver was driving under the influence and make an arrest based on North Carolina’s drunk driving laws.
• Take photos – If you are able to, take as many photos as you can of the scene of the accident including any damage, injuries, and even the surrounding area.
• Get driver and witness info – Get the name and contact information of the driver as well as his or her insurance information. Obtain the same information for passengers of the other vehicle and any witnesses who may have seen the accident happen.
• Be cautious of what you say – Even if you think you might have been a little bit at fault for the accident, do not apologize or make any admissions of guilt that could be misconstrued that you were at fault for the accident.

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Today

If you have been involved in a car accident involving a drunk driver, you need to seek the counsel of the experienced car accident attorneys at Helms Law Group, P.A. today. We will ensure your rights are protected and get you the compensation you are entitled to for your injuries and damages.