5 Things Designated Drivers Don’t Want Passengers to do on the Drive Home

Allianz UK surveyed 2000 people in October and found that over a third (36 percent) 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 percent 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 percent of designated drivers said their passengers had done something annoying during the journey back.

Here are designated drivers’ 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.

Drunk 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 percent of designated drivers plan to remain teetotal when ‘on duty’. However, considerable caution is needed among the 17 percent 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 percent of people are using some sort of car share arrangement to get home. However, 10 percent of people plan to drive themselves home. These self-drivers could be taking a chance as 20 percent of respondents 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 percent) said they had drunk enough at the party to make them uncertain about whether they were over the drink and drive limit when they drove the next day.

Source: Allianz UK