The Insurance Repercussions of Drinking and Driving

Unfortunately South Africa has an extremely poor record when it comes to drinking and driving and it's not just around the festive season or public holidays either, as drunk drivers cause accidents day in and day out around the country.

However, while is common knowledge and many South Africans even go so far as to 'boast' about how much they drank the night or weekend before and how they managed to drive home and 'dodge the cops' few understand the repercussions of getting caught or causing an accident.

For starters a driver, if found to be 'over the limit' while in control of a vehicle, will be arrested on the spot and end up in a dirty and highly unpleasant jail cell in a police station somewhere where you may be forced to stay overnight or longer depending on your offence.

I'll spare you the details of what can happen to you in a jail cell or worse prison where you get very easily end up being sent to if your kill or even injure others as a direct result of drinking and driving, suffice to say that your life will probably never be the same again.

Then there are the hefty fines that you will be required to pay instead of or in addition to receiving a potential prison sentence. In terms of your comprehensive insurance cover under such circumstances, the chances are that your insurer won't pay you out a single cent.

Most car insurance policies contain specific clauses that specify that your insurance policy will be invalidated should you be over the statutory alcohol limit. So say you smash your nice new Beemer into a tree while intoxicated and the police arrive and breathalize you.

Not only have you just put yourself in a situation where you face huge fines, a potential prison sentence, a criminal record, but also have to replace or fix your crumpled car out of your own pocket. Not a very nice thought is it?

Be aware that the maximum penalty for drinking and driving in South Africa is a R120 000 fine and/or six years in prison. In addition, your driver's license may possibly be suspended, and your car may be confiscated by the Asset Forfeiture Unit.

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3/7/2008 4:04:38 PM