A friend tells me, before stopping drinking he would kept a wad of R200 notes in the cubby hole of his car for “emergencies” – for use primarily after nights at the club. Although he was pulled over for drunk driving many times, not once did a law enforcement officer refuse a “gift”. Â As one who put the plug in the jug 23 years ago, I am now a horrified observer rather than an active participant in the drunk driving scourge which destroys so many South African lives. In this insightful blog by the head of a leading direct insurer, it’s apparent the problem is getting worse. Much worse if the claims experience of iWYZE is any yardstick. The sad reality is that as long as drunks can bribe themselves out of trouble, the carnage will continue. – AH Â
By Willem Smith*
iWYZE has a weekly claims meeting where, as a team, we discuss specific claims, trends and industry news. It is an opportunity for vigorous, sometimes heated debate and discussion but the one topic that keeps rearing its ugly head is drinking and driving.
If you look at the claims that we rejected during 2013, the portion involving drunk driving increased by 40% when compared to 2012. We traditionally experience a spike in the number of claims involving drinking and driving over the festive season. Sadly this is a growing problem and not limited to a particular time of the year.
The number of claims submitted annually and which appear to involve drunk driving, shows that South Africans still don’t understand the consequences of driving under the influence and have little or no respect for the country’s laws and rules of the road. According to a recent tweet by the Road Accident Fund, 50% of those killed in road accidents were found to be 3 times over the legal alcohol limit.
I was also shocked when our research revealed that only 5% of the South African population knows what the legal blood alcohol limit is for driving and I can only imagine that even fewer people know that insurers don’t need a blood test to reject your claim for driving under the influence.
I believe that education is the most important tool in the battle against driving under the influence which is why iWYZE started an awareness campaign called iDriveWYZE in 2012.
To date, we have breathalysed and educated over 5 500 people about the dangers of drinking and driving at entertainment events where alcohol is permitted or sold. Our breathalyser operators are trained to properly breathalyse and educate members of the public.
We have partnered with BrandHouse’s drunk driving awareness campaign called Drive Dry and more recently with *Alcohol Breathalysers (a leading South African breathalyser supplier).
During December 2013 we sponsored Drive More Safely – a NPO involved in road safety and supported those doing valuable work with the Western and Eastern Cape Provincial Traffic Departments like handing out child safety seats and information packs about the dangers of drinking and driving and the importance of wearing a seat belt.
I believe that we are making a difference and that we will see a real change in the South African public’s behavior over time if:
- ·         other corporates get involved;
- ·         law enforcement becomes more rigorous; and
- ·         there is increased awareness and education.
My advice to anyone thinking of getting behind the wheel is to err on the side of caution and to be responsible – don’t drink and drive.
* Willem Smith started Mutual & Federal’s direct business, iWYZE, in August 2009. He has 15 years financial services experience and has started a life insurance business as financial director and another main stream direct insurer as chief operating officer, he also ran an Asset Management Business as Managing Director.
