SPARE A THOUGHT FOR THE DESIGNATED DRIVERS WHO KEEP OUR ROADS SAFER AT CHRISTMAS

Christmas is a time for remembering family and friends and Allianz Insurance wants to add another group of people to those we think of at this time of year – Designated Drivers!

Allianz found that over a third of people (36%) will take on the role of Designated Driver over the festive period so that their passengers can attend an event and enjoy a drink or two.

Some Designated Drivers feel they are making a significant personal sacrifice because 36% said they are only doing it because it’s ‘their turn’. And for many drivers, their good deed turned into a rather challenging experience - 59% of Designated Drivers said their passengers had done something annoying during the journey back.

Here are the Designated Driver top five things they wished their passengers had not done during the drive home:

1.Being ill in the car

2.Making too much noise

3.Laughing at things that just aren’t funny to a sober person

4.Distracting the driver when the car is moving

5.Asking to take extra people home

Drink driving is a serious consideration all year round but over the Christmas period the temptation to have a few drinks can be strong. So it’s reassuring to know that 82% of Designated Drivers plan to remain teetotal when ‘on duty’. However, considerable caution is needed among the 17% of Designated Drivers who say they will consume some alcohol at the event but not enough to be over the drink drive limit.

The Designated Driver isn’t just important for family occasions; they are also a force for good following the work Christmas party which is a notoriously boozy affair. Allianz found that 16% of people are using some sort of car share arrangement to get home. However, 1 in 10 people (10%) are planning to drive themselves home. These self-drivers could be taking a chance as 1 in 5 people (20%) said they had previously stopped someone from driving home from a work party because they’d consumed too much alcohol.

The day after the party is also important for anyone thinking of driving having consumed alcohol the day before. More than 6 in 10 of people (61%) said they had drunk enough at the party to make them uncertain about whether they were over the drink drive limit when they drove the next day.

Simon Brimicombe, director of underwriting, said:

“People who have consumed a fair amount of alcohol at an event need to be careful the day after because they could still be unfit to drive. Our advice is not to risk it if you are in any doubt.

Simon added:

“Designated Drivers are unsung heroes when it comes to keeping people safe on the road. We are asking partygoers to spare a thought for the people who help make our roads a safer place, particularly at Christmas when there are so many parties to go to.It must be quite a sacrifice for the drivers who like to have a drink and let their hair down when they go to a party, but have agreed to sacrifice some of their fun so that others can get home safely and keep their driving licenses.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1)Allianz carried out the research between 24-16 October 2016.

2)The survey questioned 2000 people.