Putting Brakes on Drunk Driving

In an effort to cut down on alcohol-related accidents during spring break, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the cellular telephone division of Pacific Telesis are letting drivers know what to watch out for and to do about drunk drivers.

In 1989, there were about 1,400 alcohol-related traffic accidents in San Diego County, according to California Highway Patrol figures. Fatal alcohol-related accidents totaled 196, killing 209 people.

“We’ve got a lot of people coming into our city, and a lot of our students are off,” said Beverly Beck Ellman, a spokeswoman for Pacific Telesis. “We also have a lot of tourists coming into our city to have fun, and unfortunately with that comes drinking and driving.”

Motorists with cellular telephones are being asked to use them to call 911 when they see signs of an impaired driver. The calls are free.

The following are telltale signs of an impaired driver: Straddling the center lane or the lane marker; weaving, swerving or drifting; tailgating; driving in the wrong direction; erratic acceleration or deceleration; driving without headlights at night; making unusually wide turns.

If it is safe to do so, take down the license number of the car. When calling 911 you should give a description of the car and the direction it was going.

Cynthia Roark, president of the San Diego chapter of MADD, said that, after noticing an impaired driver, you should maintain a safe distance and should not attempt to pass because the impaired driver may swerve into you.

If you are on city streets, and an impaired driver is behind you, turn right at the nearest intersection and let the driver pass you before returning to your route, Roark said. If a car is coming head-on you should move to the shoulder of the road and stop.

Roark said that honking your horn and flashing your lights to attract the driver’s attention may help avoid a collision.