Stricter ban on alcohol at the wheel? This is what insurance demands

Young drivers are particularly common and accidents are involved, and alcohol plays a role in many cases. The insurance industry therefore thinks loudly about the expansion of the alcohol ban at the wheel by four years.

For more traffic safety, it would make sense to check the extension of this regulation up to and including the age of 24, as the overall association of insurers in Berlin announced. This could help “ideally make sober drivers into a habit”. There is currently a strict ban on alcohol at the wheel until the 21st birthday.

According to numbers of accident research by the insurers, drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 in 2023 caused a total of 1287 accidents under the influence of alcohol. 18 people were killed and 372 seriously injured. Almost two out of three of these accidents caused the 21- to 24-year-olds. According to the Federal Statistical Office, there were a total of 2839 deaths nationwide in traffic accidents in 2023.

“Young travelers overestimate themselves more often, are more risky and less driving rides. Knowledge gaps also exist on alcohol mining and residual alcohol,” said the head of accident research, Kirstin Zeidler. “The ban on alcohol is a kind of protective shield in front of themselves and external influences for 18 to 20-year-olds.”

“Risking the driver’s license usually keeps it from letting herself get under the wheel,” said Zeidler. “As a rule, your environment also accepts this and does not encourage you to drink.” According to the entire association, studies show the success of this ban.

Anyone who is caught with alcohol by alcohol at the wheel, according to the ADAC automobile club, will face 250 euros in fine and a point in the driving suitability register in Flensburg. Driving under alcohol during the two -year trial period has even more consequences.

From the insurer’s point of view, the behavior at the age of 21 sometimes changes. As soon as the ban on alcohol and thus the protective argument falls away, many drivers will drive driving under at least small amounts of alcohol to the new standard. Most of them are not known that even below 0.5 per thousand can threaten legal consequences.

The experts in accident research demanded that they would have to train to deal with situations in the driving training in which young people would have to choose between alcohol consumption and driving. In addition, sharper alcohol controls are necessary. “Many are used to not being discovered,” it said in the message.

Last but not least, a wide range of local public transport, on mobile communities or alternative offers such as taxi trips at half price is crucial for less alcohol accidents by young driving.