Once South Africa's
strict new drunk-driving laws come into effect this month, no one will be
allowed behind the wheel of a motor vehicle after even one drink.
Currently, it’s still legal to get behind the wheel if your
blood-alcohol level is under 0.05g per 100ml. The new National Road Traffic
Amendment Act totally prohibits the consumption of alcohol by all motor vehicle
operators on South African public roads by setting the legal blood-alcohol
limit for drivers at 0%.
This has serious implications for South African drivers. If you’re
involved in an accident after having even a single drink, you won’t just find
yourself on the wrong side of the law, but it can also have a major impact on
your insurance,
Insurers have the right to refuse to pay accident claims if the driver’s
blood-alcohol level is over the legal limit. This clause is included in almost
every car insurance policy in South Africa. Previously, it was difficult to
determine whether people were over the legal limit and whether their driving
ability was impaired. The new zero-tolerance approach removes this grey area.
If you break the law by driving after drinking, your insurer has no obligation
to meet your claim.
If you’re guilty of this offence, it’s also likely that your premium
will increase significantly, as you’ll be considered a higher risk. In the
worst-case scenario, if you’re convicted of drunk driving or have your licence
endorsed or suspended, your current insurer may cancel your policy, and you may
find it difficult to get car insurance at all in future.
While the new law
will potentially reduce the number of accidents caused by drunken driving, it
won’t immediately affect premiums. If we see fewer accidents due to fewer
drunken driving incidents in the longer term, though, we may see premiums
coming down due to lower claims costs for insurers.
The new law won’t see existing policies being altered, as most policies already
stipulate that drivers must abide by the law. Therefore, the 0% legal blood
alcohol limit will apply as soon as the new law comes into effect.
The bottom line? If you’re going to drink, make sure you have alternative transport.
To access and download the National Road Traffic Act regulations amendment click
here
Pictures by ES Brokers private client and Pixabay
Written by Wynand Van Vuuren
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