Operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol is very dangerous. Most people understand this. Alcohol affects your judgment, reduces your ability to respond to hazards, and can even increase your chances of falling asleep or passing out behind the wheel.
It’s very important that we continue to educate drivers on the risks associated with driving while drunk. However, it’s arguable that so much emphasis is placed on advising people not to drive under the influence that we forget to emphasize just how dangerous walking while drunk can be as well.
Many people assume that walking home from the bar instead of driving home when they’ve had a few too many drinks is a “safe” option. Our skilled pedestrian accident attorneys know better. This overview will help you understand why the fact that you certainly shouldn’t drive while intoxicated doesn’t mean walking (particularly in a busy city like Los Angeles) to get home when you’re intoxicated is a responsible decision.
LA Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Explain: The Dangers of Walking While Intoxicated
Driving while drunk puts you, your passengers, and anyone else with whom you are sharing the road at risk of injury or death. That said, statistics indicate that in regard solely to your personal safety, walking while intoxicated may actually be even more dangerous than driving. True, your odds of harming someone else if you’re only walking while drunk instead of driving drunk are lower, but the chances that you will be harmed are potentially higher.
There are many reasons this is the case. First, we must return to the fact that intoxication from alcohol can and will have a negative impact on your judgment. This means you are more likely to make foolish decisions that can put you in harm’s way if you’re drunk while navigating LA’s streets on foot.
For example, if you are sober, before crossing the street, you might see that approaching vehicles are too close, and you should wait for them to pass you before you proceed. If you’re drunk, you might not be able to properly gauge the distance between yourself and the oncoming vehicles. Even if you are, because your judgment is impaired, you might be more inclined to rush across the street. Alcohol has made you “fearless.” Your own personal safety might be a victim of this new sense of invincibility.
Additionally, anyone who has seen someone stumble home from a bar also knows that a drunk person will often have trouble walking a straight line. This is not ideal when you’re walking along a sidewalk in a busy urban area. One slip and you could accidentally step off the curb and into the path of oncoming traffic.
Again, none of this is meant to suggest that you should drive home instead of walking home if you’re drunk. Instead, make other arrangements, such as calling a cab.
All that said, even if you’re sober, it’s still possible to be involved in an LA pedestrian accident one day through no fault of your own. If this happens, our Los Angeles pedestrian accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Howard Kornberg can help you pursue the compensation for which you may be eligible. Contact us online to schedule your free consultation, or call us at 310-997-0904.
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