Walk It Through: The Interstate At Night
Lanes, a passenger's open beer, a reckless driver, and stopping to help.
On a three lane interstate, a driver going slower than traffic sits in the left lane.
Two things a person in this spot might do. Picking one shows what the law says about it.
One night drive. Speeding tickets and their points, liquor rather than beer, a crash the reader is part of, and criminal charges for the weaving driver are not worked through here.
A practice walkthrough, not a prediction of how any real one will go. Legal information, not legal advice.
Words this turns on
Terms with a legal meaning that is narrower than the everyday one. Each links to the definition and the authority behind it.
- Luggage compartmentThe trunk of a vehicle that has one; in a vehicle without one, the area designed for luggage, and in a station wagon, van, hatchback, truck or sport utility vehicle, the area behind the rearmost seat.
- Open containerBeer or wine in an open container in a motor vehicle on a public highway, outside the trunk or luggage compartment, which is a misdemeanor. Beer or wine there means any containing one-half of one percent or more of alcohol.
- Gross negligenceConduct the good samaritan section does not protect: a person giving free emergency care in good faith is not liable for civil damages except for acts or omissions amounting to gross negligence or wilful or wanton misconduct.
- MisconductFor unemployment, conduct showing wilful and wanton disregard of the employer's interests. A discharge for it disqualifies a worker for twenty weeks.
- Materially and appreciably impairedThe degree to which a person's faculties to drive must be impaired by alcohol, other drugs or both for driving to be the offense of driving under the influence.
- Reckless drivingDriving any vehicle in a way that indicates a wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.