TL;DR - Our version of "I'm not reading all that, *SparkNotes pls."
- Drunk driving incidents typically spike during the festive season in South Africa, contributing to road fatalities.
- Human factors, like reckless and drunk driving, account for 80.8% of crashes, with pedestrians and passengers being the most affected.
- Consequences of drunk driving often include financial, emotional and legal ramifications.
- Alternatives to drunk driving using e-hailing services, assigning a designated driver and planning ahead to avoid risky decisions.
- Save with Pineapple’s Drive Less, Get Blessed; get up to 30% of your monthly premiums back.
South Africans like to drink.
Our well-earned reputation has earned us fifth place globally in the World Health Organisation’s alcohol consumption list, with a drinkers-only per capita consumption of 30 litres. This means, on average, each person who indulges in an alcoholic beverage in South Africa consumes 30 litres of pure liquor per year.
While there’s no shame in our drinking game, it’s crucial to remember the dangers of mixing drinking and driving.
Thankfully, Pineapple is committed to promoting road safety by rewarding responsible driving behaviour. But more on that later.
Read on to explore the dangers of drunk driving in South Africa, get tips on staying safe during the festive season and learn about our Drive Less, Get Blessed cashback benefit.
The Festive Frenzy – Why Drunk Driving Incidents Spike During the Festive Season
The December holiday season is also known as a time of revelry. During the festive season, South Africa’s roads are teeming with activity: road trip holidaymakers, year-end function attendees, and those travelling home.
This means a higher risk of alcohol consumption due to parties, gatherings, and braais, more late-night and long-distance travel, and fewer sober drivers.
The effects of the ‘silly season’, from the beginning of December to the end of January, can be a general sense of relaxation and celebration… which can spill over into people’s driving habits.
During this time, motorists may take risks they typically wouldn’t, such as driving while drunk.
According to Arrive Alive, the number of fatal crashes during the 2023/24 festive season was 1,184, with human factors, like reckless or distracted driving, accounting for 80,8% of these.
Sadly, many of the lives lost had barely begun; the majority of those who passed were between the ages of 25 and 44. Victims of car-related fatalities typically comprised of pedestrians (40.9%), passengers (33.6%), drivers (24.6%) and cyclists (0.8%).
However, there has been an overall decrease in fatal accidents during the festive season. This can largely be attributed to the increased police presence. In the Western Cape alone, drunk driving-related arrests increased from 25 to 103 in 2023!
As recently as October 2024, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) made 120 arrests between the 14th and 20th of motorists driving under the influence (DUI).
Still, the number of lives lost remains a cause for concern.
Here is a breakdown of road fatality trends noted in South Africa’s provinces during the 2023/24 festive season:
- Free State recorded a 27.4% decline in road fatalities.
- Eastern Cape recorded a 21.5% decline in road fatalities.
- Northern Cape recorded a 15.7% decline in road fatalities.
- Limpopo recorded an 8.4% decline in road fatalities.
- North West recorded a 2.1% decline in road fatalities.
- Gauteng recorded a 7.6% increase in road fatalities.
- KwaZulu-Natal recorded a 4.2% increase in road fatalities.
- Mpumalanga recorded a 9.7% increase in road fatalities.
- Western Cape recorded a 22.6% increase in road fatalities.
The Consequences of Drunk Driving in South Africa – It’s Not Worth It
Make no mistake: drinking and driving is illegal.
Driving while inebriated comes at a steep financial and emotional cost. Not to mention the immeasurable price of a human life. And have we mentioned law enforcement will want a piece of you for breaking the law and driving under the influence?
The bottom line is the aftermath of a drunk driving incident can cast a nasty shadow over what’s meant to be a joyous holiday time.
Financial Consequences
- Fines and legal fees: driving under the influence costs vary, but fines can typically range from R2,000 to R120,000.
- Repair fees: depending on the vehicle’s make and model, a drunk driving accident can result in repair fees averaging between R40,000 to R42,000. And if the car’s a total write-off, you can expect to pay the car’s full retail value (your car’s total cost at the time of loss).
- Hospital fees: a drunk driving accident’s severity can result in minor and major injuries that need medical attention. Depending on factors like the hospital and ward you’re in, a hospital bed can cost R1,200 to over R2,000 daily!
Emotional Consequences
An accident caused by drunk driving can result in there being one less plate setting at the Christmas dinner table.
Was that too hectic? Well, drunk driving isn’t an issue to take lightly.
In fact, losing a loved one in a manner as sudden as a car crash can leave lasting grief and prolonged trauma.
The emotional burden of injuring yourself, or worse, harming others, can be a heavy load to bear. Plus, your family, or that of a third party, can also be heavily impacted by your decision to drive while intoxicated.
Imagine if the person you injure is the breadwinner and sole financial provider—the victim’s loved ones’ lives will forever be altered by this one event!
Legal Consequences
The legal limit for driving after drinking in South Africa is less than 0.05 g of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. For a breathalyser test, the concentration should be less than 0.24 milligrams of alcohol per 1,000 millilitres of breath.
Should the boys in blue (the police) bust you for driving under the influence in South Africa, you may face the following legal consequences:
- A suspended driver’s license (6 months for a first-time offender, 5-10 years for second and third-time offenders)
- A fine of up to R120,000.00
- A prison sentence or community service (between a few months to a maximum of six years)
- A 10-year criminal record
The above is a direct result of Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act, which promotes the safety of South Africa’s roads and highways.
But wait, there’s more: even with the best comprehensive car insurance policy in the world, if you are caught drinking and driving, not only will the insurer refuse to pay, but you may get a black mark against your name. This makes it almost impossible to get insured elsewhere.
Make Safer Choices – A List of Alternatives to Drunk Driving
Avoiding drinking and driving isn’t rocket science but a simple question of morality. Plus, the difference between lying in your bed and lying in a jail cell is making the conscious decision to choose alternatives to drunk driving.
Luckily, Pineapple’s here with a few affordable and smart alternatives to drunk driving:
- Ehailing services. If you’re one of the 23.3 million smartphone users in South Africa, you likely have network connectivity and no excuse. Request an Uber, Bolt, InDrive or other ehailing service to avoid driving after a boozy night out. This option is widely available and usually affordable.
- Choose a designated driver. Plan ahead by picking a designated driver or arranging transport to take you from groove to the guesthouse or wherever your accommodation is.
- Spend the night. If using an ehailing service or having a designated driver isn’t on the cards, look for places such as an Airbnb, hotel or motel to avoid travelling after a jol. If you’re insured with Pineapple, you can receive a portion of compensation for how much you spend on accommodation.
With many alternatives available, some literally at your fingertips, there’s no excuse for reckless driving.
Make the smart choice, protect yourself and respect other motorists and road users by choosing anything other than getting behind the wheel while you’re not sober.
Pineapple’s Drive Less, Get Blessed Benefit – Incentivising Safer Choices
If ‘staying out of harm’s way’ wasn’t a good enough reason to avoid driving under the influence in South Africa, Pineapple has given its clients another reason to stay out of trouble.
Introducing Pineapple’s Drive Less, Get Blessed benefit, which rewards policyholders who clock a low mileage of 300km or less monthly. If you’re insured by Pineapple and meet the qualifying criteria, you can receive up to 30% of your premiums back in cold, hard cash.
If you pay R1,450 for comprehensive car coverage, you can enjoy a cashback payout of about R435 each time you drive less than 300km.
Over 12 months, that’s R5,220 saved—more than enough to cover festive gifts or a fun getaway somewhere sunny!
Whatever you save in monthly car insurance premiums, you can spend on groceries, a fuel top-up, or spoiling yourself with a little treat such as your favourite meal.
So, if you were wondering what else you can gain from being responsible and leaving your car at home after a night out, well, now you know.
Get a quote for the best insurance in South Africa in just 90 seconds!
Comprehensive Protection – How Pineapple’s Car Insurance Can Help
The best protection against drunk-driving-related accidents, or any accident, is prevention. Thankfully, Pineapple has that, and you, covered.
Having comprehensive car insurance means that even if other drivers aren’t making safe choices, you are.
Key benefits of Pineapple’s comprehensive car insurance include:
- Free 24/7 roadside assistance. Towing, fuel assistance, key replacement and more. Pineapple’s car cover ensures you’re never stuck or stranded without a plan.
- Third-party protection. Pineapple’s comprehensive cover includes third-party protection worth R5 million. So, if you happen to damage a particularly pricey bit of property, this cover will allow you to afford the bill.
- Financial protection. Having Pineapple’s comprehensive insurance policy means you never have to cover the cost of paying a panel beater’s repair bill alone. Whether theft or hijacking, malicious or accidental damage (single-item insurance), or weather-related events, Pineapple will help cushion the blow of a financial fallout.
Nothing will dampen your festive season when you’re insured under Pineapple’s comprehensive car cover. Our insurance will offer various benefits to suit and support your journey at every kilometre.
Conclusion
While a small percentage of alcohol is permissible, we should all aim for zero tolerance when it comes to drinking and driving in South Africa. As we’ve mentioned, drunk driving costs something more valuable than money: it costs lives!
So, staying safe when hitting Mzansi’s roads can be as simple as drinking and NOT driving.
Make responsible choices and leave your car at home when you indulge in boozy behaviour; it will make your holiday that much more enjoyable.
Lastly, we leave you with this: plan your outings ahead of time to avoid any circumstances that might involve you operating a car while tipsy or intoxicated. Or better yet, drive sober to avoid trouble with law enforcement, paying hefty fines or paying the ultimate price, the loss of a life.
On a lighter note, get peace of mind by getting a quote with Pineapple.
Enjoy affordable, comprehensive car insurance at a fraction of the usual fee. Each Pineapple policy protects your car against fire, theft and hijackings, accidental damage, third-party accidents and weather (hail) coverage.
Plus, you’ll receive up to 30% of your premiums back when you drive less than 300km in a month.
What are you waiting for?
Get a quote for the cheapest car insurance in 90 seconds or less TODAY. As in NOW!
Please Note: The information provided above is for informational purposes only; you should not construe any such information as legal or financial advice.
Pineapple (FSP 48650) is underwritten by Old Mutual Alternative Risk Transfer Insure Limited, a licensed Non-Life Insurer and authorised FSP. T&Cs apply.
Mathapelo Mosia
Mathapelo, Pineapple's Junior Copywriter, has a diverse background, including roles like Leaflet Distributor, Bridal Stylist, and Junior Sales Activation Officer. Her love for literature was sparked in grade 5 by a teacher's challenge involving books and chocolate. Though the prize was never received, she developed a passion for reading and writing.
