UK Car Insurance News

January 17, 2006

 

Drink driving still commonplace insurer finds

New research has indicated that millions of Brits regularly drink drive despite a decade of strict government warnings and high-profile advertising campaigns.

Almost a fifth of drivers admitted that they have had one too many alcoholic drinks and then driven home.

Shockingly the same number revealed that if they had been stopped by the police they would have probably failed a breath test. And a third of respondents said they know friends, family and colleagues who get behind the wheel after boozing, while 20% said the trend is "endemic'' among their inner circle.

The survey of 2,558 people by InsureandGo also revealed that more than one in 10 passengers admitted they don't mind getting in a vehicle with somebody they know has had too much drink.
But shockingly only half of the people polled said they had flatly refused to hitch a ride with somebody they knew was over the limit.

One in five people said that they go for a drink when they're driving at least once a month, but stick within the boundaries of the law. A third believe they aren't breaking the law if they stick to one alcoholic beverage, while 50% said they thought it was two, and nearly 10% thought three was okay.

Perry Wilson, a spokesman for InsureandGo, said: "It's amazing that despite all the advertising and warnings about the risks of drink driving people still carry on doing it. There really seems to be a culture in this country where people think that just pushing the boundaries is acceptable, and that going over the limit by a tiny bit every once in a while is fine. Especially now we have extended drinking hours in pubs so people need to resist the temptation even more. 'In reality and the cold light of day drinking and driving is a killer on British roads and every single person who is guilty of this should stop right now.''

The survey also revealed that the majority of Brits think there is a "if I am only just breaking the law then I'll probably get away with it'' culture prevalent in the UK. Overwhelmingly 80% believe that the government should ban ALL alcoholic consumption when driving, as the current laws are confusing.

4% of people said they had been involved in an accident when the other driver had been drinking. While 2.5% cent admitted they'd had an accident or near miss after they had been drinking. 16% said they would never say anything to another motorist even if they knew they were breaking the law when driving because ?'it is their life and their decision''.

On the flipside 40% of people revealed they would actively voice their concerns. One respondent to the survey went to extreme measures by secretly shopping her brother to the police because he was always drink driving, and got him banned.

Almost 2% of drivers admitted that drink driving had cost them their driving license in the past.

posted by UK Insurance Index  @ 8:58 PM

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