Posted in Car Accident,Drunk Driving,Negligence,Personal Injury,Tennessee Accident Law on May 12, 2015
Sobriety Checkpoints and Saturation Patrols Planned for Clarksville Next Week
The Clarksville Police Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol will be out in force on May 22 and May 23 in an effort to apprehend drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
According to a report by The Leaf-Chronicle, the checkpoints will be located on U.S. 41-A near the Tennessee-Kentucky state line, while increased numbers of troopers, deputies, and officers will patrol the streets looking for drunk or intoxicated drivers.
The law enforcement officers will look for signs of impairment in drivers and administer sobriety tests to drivers who appear to be under the influence.
Driving under the influence and impaired driving kills more than 16,000 people every year in the United States and injures 305,000 others, making it one of the most deadly and dangerous crimes.
The Clarksville personal injury lawyers at Matt Hardin Law are thankful for the efforts of the Clarksville Police Department and the Tennessee Highway Patrol to make the city’s roadways safer for all drivers and passengers.
What Are the Signs of Drunk or Impaired Driving?
While drunk driving is extremely dangerous, there are many driving behaviors that police are trained to spot in an effort to get intoxicated drivers off the road. Some of these behaviors include:
Drunk, impaired, and intoxicated drivers experience difficulty with their fine motor skills and maintaining focus on the road. That means it’s common for intoxicated drivers to slightly swerve in and out of their lanes. Police officers know how to spot drivers who can’t maintain their lane for more than short distances and can use that observation to pull over drivers and administer sobriety tests.
Turning on headlights is one of the first things most drivers do at night, but intoxicated drivers—especially those in urban areas with ample artificial lighting—may skip this step completely. Driving with headlights off at night sends out a red flag to nearby police officers and is often probable cause for a DUI stop.
Some intoxicated drivers make up for their poor motor skills and impaired judgment by driving at speeds much lower than other traffic. Not only does this disrupt the flow of traffic and even put them in danger, it can also be suspicious in the eyes of police—especially when they see it late at night or on weekends.
Speeding, sudden acceleration, braking erratically or too soon, and striking objects in the roadway are all signs of both reckless driving and intoxicated driving. Drivers who struggle with safe driving behaviors and demonstrate a disregard for their safety or the safety of others may be intoxicated—and police will almost always pull them over for questioning.
Wrong-way accidents are becoming more and more common, and they can be extremely dangerous and often deadly for both drivers and their victims. The majority of these cases are due to intoxicated drivers, and their presence on the road is often considered an emergency due to the risk they pose to themselves and other motorists.
At Matt Hardin Law, our Clarksville personal injury attorneys have no tolerance for drunk drivers who injure innocent victims, and that’s why we’re so dedicated to making sure they get the full amount of compensation they need for their medical bills and lost wages.
If you were injured in an auto accident caused by a drunk or negligent driver, get in touch with our legal team today. We have the resources and the experience to build a strong claim that gets results. Contact us by dialing (931) 274-7788 or filling out a free online form.
