If you’re the designated driver this Christmas and have kindly offered to give friends and family a lift home in your Range Rover turbo, then make sure any inebriated people know they need to behave themselves.
Research from Confused.com has found that 43 per cent of people will be acting as a taxi service this festive season, yet one in 20 have had a drunk passenger almost cause them to crash their car.
In all, 26 per cent of designated drivers admit that drunk passengers are actually quite annoying, while 12 per cent find them stressful and ten per cent find them distracting. What’s more, eight per cent of motorists helping their friends or relatives home have even had drunk passengers throw up in the car.
“Drivers might find it difficult to focus when travelling with a drunken passenger in the car with them, and with the difficult weather conditions associated with this time of year to contend with as well, it’s important for them to take note and be aware of what they may encounter,” head of motor insurance with the comparison site Matt Lloyd said.
It would also be wise for learner drivers to be aware that if they are giving someone a lift home, there needs to be a sober person in the car who has passed their test, otherwise they could risk penalty points or even a fine.
Christmas time should be fun for all but a few simple precautions is all you need to take to make sure you have a great time and still get home in one piece, without any points on your licence.