Drunk Driving and Insurance: How It Affects Your Car Insurance

According to Arrive Alive[1], close to 50% of the total fatal car crash victims on South African roads tested positive for above-legal limits of alcohol in their blood. And with over 13,000 deaths on our roads each year, half of them had alcohol before their accidents, meaning they could have potentially been avoided. The peak times for drunk driving are during the holidays, with Christmas/New Year and Easter Holidays showing spikes. Having a drunk driving charge will definitely affect your car insurance premiums and claims you may have if you were under the influence of alcohol. Discover more about drunk driving and insurance as Dialdirect unpacks this issue in more detail. 

Drinking and driving in South Africa 

Drunk driving is a major cause for concern in South Africa, with thousands of people being impacted by its ramifications each year. Dialdirect promotes a zero-tolerance approach to drinking and driving, however, there are legal limits to driving with alcohol. The National Road Traffic Act[2] (NRTA) issued the following Blood Alcohol Content limits:

• Blood: 0.05gm per 100ml

• Breath: 0.24gm per 100ml

When it comes to drunk driving and car insurance, the implications are clear and quite severe: anything over this measurement level when tested by traffic officials may result in an arrest with a criminal record indicating drunk driving for up to ten years. When applying for car insurance, insurers may request your driving history, including your criminal record, to see if there is a history of drunk driving. If you have a drunk driving conviction, your car insurance application could be rejected, or, you may face higher car insurance premiums because you would be considered a high risk to insure. 

What Happens When Drunk Drivers Get Caught

Drivers who break the law on local roads face fines from the Administration Adjudication of Road Traffic Offence Act (AARTO). These fines are payable at AARTO offices or online platforms, including certain banks. According to AARTO, these fines are used to fund road safety and other road improvement projects. Certain fines, such as drunk driving, face direct legal prosecution and could result in court and an issued jail term.

Possible Future Penalties and Driver Demerit

To combat ongoing traffic violations which include speeding and drunk driving, AARTO will be introducing a Driver Demerit points system[3], which is valid for all South African drivers – effective from June 2020. The system works on a points deductions basis, where all drivers start with a total of 13 points, and each traffic violation will result in a deduction of an amount. The point deductions range between minor incidents like driving without a seatbelt and drunk driving, which could result in a large loss of points. If all the points are lost, the driver’s license is revoked.

The Driver Demerit system is proposed to run alongside the existing fines system, which means perpetrators could face a hefty fine and points lost for each offence. In addition to these new regulations, the department will also introduce a 0% legal blood-alcohol limit. Meaning that drivers will not be allowed to drink alcohol and drive, at all.

Car insurance & drunk driving: does it affect your insurance? 

Yes, absolutely.  If you have a drunk driving record, your car insurance agency will see this as a risk for future car cover. This behaviour will be considered reckless driving and lead to paying higher premiums to cover your car. Likewise, not telling your insurers about drunk driving charges may invalidate your car insurance, so Dialdirect strongly advises that you be truthful with your insurers. 

Drunk driving and insurance: drunk driving insurance claim

Most car insurance agencies, including Dialdirect, will not pay out any drunk driving insurance claim. This means your claim may be rejected if you were convicted of being under the influence of alcohol during the time of the event, like a car accident or collision or damage to a third party’s vehicle or property. However, if you are involved in a car accident where a drunk driver crashed into you, the car insurance company may pay your claim, as the incident is not your fault. Your car insurance policy will state what the implications are when drunk driving is discussed and what your rights and expectations can be if you are involved in an accident while drunk driving or caused by a drunk driver.

Car insurance with Dialdirect 

If you have a drunk driving conviction, or if you would want to discuss the legal implications of drunk driving and insurance, call us on 0861 007 367 or connect with us online today. We’re committed to answering your questions. Trust Dialdirect with your car insurance cover. Request a quick, hassle-free car insurance quote online. 

Sources:

[1] Arrive Alive: Drunk driving and road safety

[2] National Road Traffic Act

[3] Aarto: The points demerit system