Question: My husband was driving while I was a passenger and an elder man driving ran a stop sign and cut in front of us. My husband honked his horn to alert the driver prior to him attempting to come into our lane. However, he did not appear to hear us. Fortunately, we were able to avoid being hit, as my husband was an alert driver and saw this coming. Is this something we can report? I am not sure if this man should be driving, as he appeared to have no regard for anyone else on the road. I am not sure what police could have done, as there was no accident or injury. I guess I am curious to know what the protocol is in such a situation.
Answer: It sounds like your husband was very attentive and because of this, he was able to avoid a crash. This situation is one of the reasons why law enforcement talks about the importance of avoiding all distractions while driving, as you might be able to see a potential hazard or crash before it happens.
If you witness any dangerous driving conduct, call law enforcement and report the incident as soon as possible. Report your location, attempt to get the license plate number, direction of travel and the driving conduct you are seeing. We will do our best to get that vehicle stopped before anyone gets hurt. We will talk to the driver and determine if they are/were impaired, distracted, fatigued, valid to drive, and the reason for their driving conduct.
Law enforcement officers can send a request for review to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services (DPS-DVS) if they identify a driver who they believe should re-test or be checked by a doctor. DPS-DVS can allow the person to keep driving with increased limitations such as roadway speed, daylight only, certain times of the day or within a set limit of miles from his or her home. They can also require follow-up doctor’s exams.
Wearing your seatbelt along with avoiding distractions while driving will increase your chances of not being involved in a crash and could save your life. Take driving seriously each time you get behind the wheel.
A portion of state statutes was used with permission from the Office of the Revisor of Statutes. If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Sgt. Neil Dickenson – Minnesota State Patrol at 1131 Mesaba Ave, Duluth, MN 55811 or neil.dickenson@state.mn.us.
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