O/T Drink Drivers

[macstheman]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and advice. It is much appreciated.
Because we were taken into hospital quite quickly we are still piecing everything together but it turns out the driver was female (I won't use the term Lady), a self employed hairdresser to be precise and the car she was driving was a hire car!!
I hope this has not rekindled bad memories mista!

[mistaram]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and advice. It is much appreciated.
Because we were taken into hospital quite quickly we are still piecing everything together but it turns out the driver was female (I won't use the term Lady), a self employed hairdresser to be precise and the car she was driving was a hire car!!
I hope this has not rekindled bad memories mista!

No Mac no problem , hope yourself and your wife are ok Wrong place at the wrong time it must have been extremely frightening for you both Afraid the drink drive penalties are not severe enough unless there is a death involved Thank the Lord that didn't occur But your left with all the problems of sorting every thing out

[macstheman]

I agree about the penalties! It is a general problem with our legal system, penalties too lenient. With knife crime what's the difference between trying to murder someone and actually succeeding. To me it's the intent, drink drive and you know you are a danger to the public! Five times over should be an automatic lengthy custodial sentence. We are too soft by far!

[Trickytreesreds]

I agree about the penalties! It is a general problem with our legal system, penalties too lenient. With knife crime what's the difference between trying to murder someone and actually succeeding. To me it's the intent, drink drive and you know you are a danger to the public! Five times over should be an automatic lengthy custodial sentence. We are too soft by far!

Very true.
There is no excuse for anyone to drink, then drive.
You,I , everyone knows the law.
Legal limit is 35. It still encourages folks to "risk" a couple.

5 times over the limit? Well that is akin to attempted murder for me. A gun, or a car at 30 MPH? Similar outcome.
Automatic jail, if caught minimum 5 years.

[Geoff Parkstone]

Curiously I googled 5 times over limit and got back 4 stories, all women drivers, albeit one in usa

[MadAmster]

Being drunk will result in the exclusion of the first party claim by the drunk driver, ie his loss. Insurers should however still pay the third party claim - ie yours Mac, as the whole idea of mandatory insurance is to protect the innocent from the **** with the car.

However there may be different policy wordings impacting this claim, and also it might fall into a knock for knock arrangement. The insurer, having paid out, can also then subrogate their claim against the driver in respect of the third party payout.

Be careful though as Ive seen situations where your no claims bonus could be impacted by this sort of hing - unless you have bought no claims bonus insurance to protect it.

You will also be pleased to know that, in addition to fines, bans and custodial sentences the drunkard will find it extremely difficult to get insurance in the future and, even if he can, he will face a massive rise in premium even if he has reimbursed the insurer for your loss.

Thanks for the expansion on my earlier post GP. Much appreciated