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Understanding how impairment affects your driving capabilities

On Behalf of | Apr 22, 2020 | Firm News

Being involved in a collision can be a stressful and harrowing experience, and the fallout of such an incident could have a devastating impact on your health. Even a minor crash could disrupt your plans for the day and leave you shaken up or unnerved as you attempt to deal with the aftermath.

Although you may take every possible measure to prevent a crash from occurring, you can only control so much of what happens out on Georgia roads. Should you encounter an impaired driver as you travel, you may find it difficult, if not impossible, to react in time to steer out of the path of danger.

The impact of impairment

It is no secret that driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs can be exceedingly dangerous. Some examples of how impairment can inhibit your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle could include:

  • Response time:  Impairment inherently slows your response time, which in turn, could make it nearly impossible for you to react to a variety of driving scenarios.
  • Motor skills: Impairment also affects your coordination, and attempting to operate a vehicle without full use of your motor skills can be exceedingly dangerous.
  • Visibility: Blurry vision and uncontrollable eye movements are two more examples of ways impairment can impact your driving capabilities.
  • Judgment:  Alcohol and drugs can also affect your judgement, and those who are unable to make quick judgment calls while driving run a higher risk of creating unfortunate scenarios.
  • Distraction: Impaired drivers are also more susceptible to distraction, and when it comes to operating a vehicle, lack of awareness or concentration can be exceedingly hazardous.

While you may choose to remain sober before getting behind the wheel, you cannot always expect others to have such sound judgment. Should another driver’s negligent actions cause a collision, you could be the one who suffers the consequences.

Seeking restitution

If a collision involving an impaired driver leaves you with severe injuries, you might be wondering about the next steps to take to seek accountability. As navigating the civil justice system can be a complex process, it could be in your best interests to speak with someone with experience in such matters for advice. In doing so, you may find yourself in a much better position to pursue the full amount of compensation you deserve and shift your focus toward entering the recovery period with piece of mind.

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