Drunk passengers ‘as dangerous as drunk drivers’

Thousands of UK drivers face the possibility of having an accident because of drunk passengers this Christmas, according to a study by online insurer swiftcover.com.

As changing attitudes mean fewer people driving under the influence of alcohol, more people are organising lifts home with a sober driver after drinking. Although this is a positive effect, it is having an unexpected side-effect: swiftcover.com's research estimates that drunk passengers have contributed to more than 100,000 accidents.  As a result, the insurer has warned those driving drunk friends or relatives home to be aware of the dangers.

swiftcover.com‘s research showed that three quarters (76 per cent) of UK drivers have driven drunk passengers home from parties and, this Christmas alone, a staggering 35 million drunk passenger journeys will be made by almost half (13 million) of all UK drivers. Of those journeys, it's anticipated that over 750,000 drivers will lose control of their vehicle, swerve or crash because of drunk passengers, while 650,000 passengers will grapple with the driver's steering wheel or handbrake, causing further potential hazards on the road.

The study went on to reveal the traits accompanied by giving lifts to drunk passengers:

One in five (18%) have been sick
Almost half (43%) sing loudly
A third (32%) turn the radio up excessively loud
One in four (24%) cause the driver to be nervous or cause distraction (33%)

Robin Reames, claims director at swiftcover.com explained: "We're familiar with drink-driving and the dangers it causes at this time of year, but there is a new danger on the road - the drunk passenger. Our research into a previously uninvestigated phenomenon highlights the plight drivers face when driving their drunk friends or relatives home from parties throughout the year and how these journeys involve a significantly high risk of accidents.

"Drivers find it difficult to focus when travelling with drunken passengers and with the difficult weather conditions associated with this time of year, it's important for them to take note and be aware of what they may encounter. Of course, these kinds of journeys will happen, but it's how you deal with them that makes the difference: simple steps like insisting that they sit in the back can help reduce the distraction caused by drunk passengers."

So how can you stay safe while driving with drunk passengers in your car? We've turned to the experts for advice, and asked three taxi drivers to give us their tips:

Jason, 31 from Liverpool has been a taxi driver for the past three years:  "The most important thing is to make sure drunken passengers sit in the back. They have a different mentality when they're sitting in the back seat, but more importantly, they won't be able to do anything silly like grab the steering wheel.

"Think about what's on the radio - stick Radio 1 on and it'll make people go crazy, but if you put Radio 4 on, it'll have the opposite effect. There's nothing like the shipping forecast to send people off."

Chris, 42 from Newcastle has fourteen years' worth of taxi experience: "If you think they're going to be sick, pull over somewhere safe and let them get it over with - it's a lot safer than having them throw up while the car's moving. Keeping the window open also helps, but nothing keeps people in check better than a £50 fine if they throw up on the upholstery."

Steve, 29 from Birmingham has six years' worth of taxi experience:  "Everyone's different when they're drunk so you will probably know what your friend or family member will be like in the car after they've been drinking. But if you're picking someone up who is totally smashed and you're worried about it, best thing to do is to refuse taking them home in that state and order them a cab who deal with drunken passengers day in, day out."