Fleet Safety Video Tip: Reporting a Drunk Driver
Here is some advice from both Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the California Office of Traffic Safety.


Every day drunk drivers make the decision to get behind the wheel, endangering other drivers, pedestrians and themselves. But what actions should you take after spotting a suspected impaired driver?
Here's some advice, provided by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), you may want to pass along to fleet drivers:
First, stay as far away from the other vehicle as possible.
Second, do not try to pass the vehicle or signal the driver to pull over. Doing so could result in a collision.
Third, take notice of the license plate number, along with details of the vehicle including make, model and color. However, make sure you don’t compromise your own safety trying to obtain this information.
Finally, pull over and call 911. Give the exact location of the vehicle, including the name of the road or cross streets and the direction the vehicle is traveling. Give a complete description of the vehicle and the manner in which it is being driven. Then leave the rest up to law enforcement.
According to the California Office of Traffic Safety, the following clues can help motorists detect a drunk driver:
Weaving/swerving in and out of the lane
Weaving within the lane quite noticeably
Traveling at speeds much slower than the flow of traffic
Braking erratically or stopping in the lane
Sudden stops for signal lights and slow starts once they change
Remaining at the signal lights once they turn green – asleep at the wheel
Making wide turns or cutting the corner striking the curb
Headlights off at night or on high beams
Driving with the turn signals on
Straddling the center line of the road or lane lines
The driver looks intoxicated – starring straight ahead, face close to the windshield, or appears to be quite sleepy
Aggressive driving – speeding, tailgating and multiple lane changes or unsafe passing may be telltale signs of intoxication.
Some states are finding new ways to encourage motorists to report suspected impaired drivers. To learn about a Kentucky phone app introduced in late 2013, click here or click on the photo above.
More Safety

AAA Testing Finds Gaps in Intersection AEB Crash Prevention
Testing of four 2026 model-year vehicles found that automatic emergency braking prevented collisions in standardized intersection scenarios, but three vehicles failed to avoid crashes when another vehicle turned into their path.
Read More →
Which Fleet Types Have the Highest Severe Speeding Rates?
New research from SambaSafety finds significant differences in speeding rates across fleet industries, even as nearly 90% of surveyed fleets report using telematics.
Read More →
When a Cyberattack Hits Your Fleet: What Happens Next?
“You have two opportunities to test your plans: when you choose or when the threat actor chooses.” A cybersecurity expert reveals what fleet managers need to know before a cyberattack puts their operations at risk — and why the decisions made in the first moments can shape the entire recovery.
Read More →
Tips for Driving Safely on Halloween Night
This video features a reminder from the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, urging drivers to prioritize safety this Halloween.
Read More →
IIHS Crash Avoidance Tests Reveal Safety Gaps in Cargo Vans and Work Trucks
New IIHS crash avoidance ratings show uneven performance among cargo vans and heavy-duty pickups, with most struggling to avoid vehicle-to-vehicle collisions.
Read More →
What’s Next for Fleet? Safety, AI & Industry Recognition | AF News Recap
Could your company's culture be encouraging distracted driving? This week, we're exploring how workplace expectations affect driver safety, what AI, EVs, and autonomous vehicles could mean for the future of fleet management, and how fleet professionals can strengthen their award nominations.
Read More →
Does Your Fleet's Culture Encourage Distracted Driving?
What happens when the people responsible for enforcing safety rules are the ones setting the wrong example? The answer may reveal why some of the biggest risks to fleet drivers have little to do with what's written in the employee handbook.
Read More →
Fleet Manager’s Ultimate Playbook: Navigating the New Standard in OEM Connectivity
Rising operating costs, driver safety concerns, and unplanned downtime are putting unprecedented pressure on modern fleets. Discover how fleet managers use embedded OEM connectivity and real-time vehicle data to cut TCO, prevent downtime, and protect drivers without aftermarket telematics hardware.
Read More →
From Driver Well-Being to EV Charging | AF News Recap
Mental health belongs in the fleet safety conversation. This week, we’re looking at five ways fleets can support employee well-being before a crisis, plus Holman’s expansion in Mexico, new one-day Fleet Forward passes, and why EV charging demand is outpacing infrastructure growth.
Read More →
Nexar-Nauto Merger Aims to Give Fleets Better Safety Intelligence Through Larger Driving Dataset
Stefan Heck tells Automotive Fleet that combining more than 10 billion miles of driving history with Nexar's AI models will give fleets deeper insights into driver risk and roadway conditions than either company could provide independently.
Read More →