How To Avoid Drunk Driving Accidents In Nigeria 2023

In Nigeria and around the world, drunk driving accidents are a serious problem. The fact that someone dies from drunk driving every 48 minutes in some nations serves to highlight the danger of alcohol-related accidents.

Moreover, studies have indicated that drunk driving contributes to one-third of all traffic collisions. This emphasises the fact that one of the greatest threats to your safety when driving is intoxicated drivers.

No matter how cautious you are behind the wheel, the choices made by a drunk driver put your life in grave danger. This does not, however, imply that you should avoid driving. Rather, as we shall discuss in this article, there are measures to safeguard oneself from intoxicated driving. The following are some precautions you can take in Nigeria to safeguard your family from drunk drivers:

• The Following Distance Must Be Safe

On the road, it is acceptable to follow other vehicles, but you must be more cautious if you want to keep yourself safe from intoxicated drivers. You would have to drive much further back than you normally would do this. This assists you in identifying the peculiar or erratic driving style of intoxicated drivers before they block your path.

You need to keep as far away as you can from any vehicles that are swerving, driving erratically, abruptly slowing down or speeding up, trying to pass other vehicles, or slowing down or speeding up repeatedly.

Disable the cruise control on your car if necessary. If the driver is actually discovered to be operating the vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, you can go the extra mile by parking and getting in touch with law enforcement or traffic law enforcement personnel to have them remove the vehicle and the driver from the road.

• Be very wary at intersections

Studies show that drunk drivers are more likely to cause collisions at intersections because they frequently disobey stop signs and traffic signals.

Try not to be in a hurry whenever you pass through an intersection while driving. Make sure to check both ways (left and right) and yield to oncoming traffic before entering an intersection.

• Put your seatbelt on

Using your seatbelt is the first line of defence against drunk drivers and is a crucial component of your vehicle. Although you may not be able to control the actions of drunk drivers while they are on the road, wearing a seatbelt can help keep you safe.

Whenever you get in a car, never forget to fasten your seatbelt. It has a track record of lowering your risk of being involved in a deadly auto accident.

If you are not driving alone, make sure everyone else in the vehicle is buckled up. Wearing a seatbelt will keep you and the other passengers in the car safe from drunk driving.

• Avoid driving after midnight

Driving after midnight should be avoided as much as possible, especially on the weekends when more people tend to indulge in alcohol intake. It shouldn’t be surprising that the majority of incidents involving intoxicated drivers take place in the late evening or between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Weekends tend to see an increase in the likelihood of these incidents.

Avoid driving during hours when you know you will likely meet more drunk drivers than you would during other times of the day in order to protect yourself against them.

• Vacations pose extra hazards

Over the holidays, people often overindulge in alcohol intake as they enjoy themselves and mingle with friends and family.

The implication of this is that during this time of year, you are more likely to run into drunk drivers.

• Become a Designated Driver Volunteer

Staying sober and offering to drive your friends or loved ones home is one proactive method to protect yourself against drunk drivers, especially if you know they are likely to overindulge in alcohol to the point of becoming too drunk to drive safely.

You should push to be more responsible by volunteering to be the designated driver in order to be able to keep yourself and the people you care about safe.

What To Do After Drunk Driving Accident 

• Stop and remain at the scene

The first thing to remember if you have been in an accident is that once your vehicle has come to a stop, you should stay as calm as possible and immediately assess the situation. Do not leave the scene of a traffic accident unless staying poses a significant risk to your safety or welfare. After you have assessed the situation and attended to any passengers, call for police and emergency medical services. If you are able, try to assist any other drivers and passengers involved in the accident.

• Take photographs and/or videotapes of the damaged vehicles, crash scene, and visible injuries

Photographs and videotapes are invaluable in a civil case, as they are the best way to demonstrate the force of the collision and the trauma experienced by someone in the crash. Photos can establish conditions at the time of the crash, including:

• Weather
• The layout of the intersection or roadway
• Signs or traffic control devices
• obstructions that affect visibility
• Construction activities that may have contributed to the crash

• Identify and obtain vital information about witnesses 

While the police may do this, it is also important for you to search for witnesses. Do not assume that the police officers identified all witnesses or that they listed all witnesses on their report.

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You should ask the police if there are other witnesses not listed on their report. Then ask the witnesses if they know of other witnesses.

Conclusion 

Refusing to drive when you are under the influence of alcohol is the first step in protecting yourself from drunk drivers. Remember, if you are drinking, don’t drive, and if you need to drive, don’t drink.