In the near future, your car insurance will be affected by the implementation of the new zero tolerance drunk driving law.
In the near future, your car insurance will be affected by the implementation of the new zero-tolerance drunk driving law.
Like in many other countries in the world, it is a fact that in South Africa you will not be able to drive your car if you have drunk any alcohol, even if only a small amount.
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According to King Price’s partner of client experience, South Africa’s new drunk driving laws will penalize car drivers who have drunk any alcohol.
At present, it is possible to drive a car with a blood-alcohol level of less than 0.05 g per 100 ml and still not be penalized.
However, new strict measures are being considered to be taken and once this law has been passed, the drunk driven alcohol tolerance is going to be 0%.
Fikile April Mbabula, South African Minister of Transport, states that the purpose of this bill is to prevent or lessen the number of accidents on South African roads.
According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization, 58% of accidents that happen on South African roads are a consequence of the high consumption of alcohol. This ranks South Africa as one of the countries with the highest global prevalence of deaths on the roads from alcohol consumption.
A study carried out by Arrive Alive shows that half of the people who die on South African roads in car accidents had a blood-alcohol level higher than what is currently allowed 0.05g per 100ml limit.
Wynand Van Vuuren, King Price’s partner of client experience, says that being involved in a car accident after having drunk some alcohol will not only cause you trouble with the law but also it will bring you some negative consequences with your car insurance.
“Insurers have the right to refuse to pay accident claims if the driver’s blood-alcohol level is over the legal limit,” said Van Vuuren.
“This clause is included in almost every car insurance policy in SA. Previously, it was difficult to determine whether people were over the legal limit and whether their driving ability was in fact impaired. The new zero-tolerance approach removes this grey area. If you break the law by driving with alcohol in your blood, your insurer will have no obligation to meet your claim.”
This means that if you are guilty of the crime, the chances of your prime increasing considerably are very high since you would be considered a much greater risk.
According to Van Vuuren, the fact that the new law pretends to reduce the number of accidents in South African roads if having drunk alcohol does not mean that it will influence directly in your car insurance premium. However, it is advisable to consult your insurer about any changes on the matter.
In the long term we will see, however, that as a result of the reduction of the number of traffic accidents on the roads, premiums will decrease as a consequence of the decline in claims costs for insurers.
As a response to these new measures to be taken, King Price is offering a new additional service to their clients so that they can avoid any inconvenience with both the law and the car insurer.
“King Price clients can add the king’s cab service, which gets the driver and their car home safely when it’s not a good idea to drive. It’s a small additional cost for major peace of mind.
“Or make Uber your friend, or get a designated driver. But make a plan. It’s just not worth taking the risk of getting behind the wheel,” Van Vuuren said.
This article is partnered content created by EL MEJOR TRATO LTD.
Featured image: Supplied
