It’s that time of year again, College and NFL football are just around the corner, the smell of barbeque wafts through the air. We’re getting excited just thinking about it. But with the anticipation of tailgating season lurks a danger that many of us are unaware of. We all know drinking and driving is dangerous, not to mention illegal and should be avoided at all cost. However, there is another equally dangerous situation faced by even the safest of drivers; open container laws.
Open container laws are set by state governments with federal oversight through the department of transportation. This department requires states to discipline any driver of a vehicle with open alcoholic containers. This means in the eyes of the law it is driver who is responsible for the car, its contents and passengers. Thus, they pay the price when it comes to the offense even if he has not made contact with or consumed alcohol. Recently, we had clients who had experienced this first hand, and in all cases the drivers/our clients were not drinking nor in the possession of the alcohol, it was the passenger. Regardless, they are all paying a price for their lack of knowledge, and trust us the cost is more than just a ticket.
The following are a few major repercussions that might be faced for allowing friend to have an open container in your vehicle:
Automobile Insurance- Will most likely be dropped/canceled by the insurer, forcing you into much higher rates with a Higher Risk Insurer.
Life Insurance- In the application process the company always reviews driving records. In which case, they can charge you premiums at least 300% up to 600% more than normal rates or even decline you all together.
Disability Insurance- If applying for disability insurance the company will most likely decline you if the occurrence happened within the past 5 years. If the offense happened between 5-10 years a limited benefit maybe offered but at much higher rates than normal.
Most insurance companies look at the charge as just short of drinking and driving itself, which is why the consequences are so severe. So please remember, having an open container in a car is a bad idea, and telling your friends to waste a little alcohol at the end of a tailgate can save you future headaches and cash.
Please feel free to pass this story on to friends, family, and especially students on campuses. As stated the repercussions of just not saying no are vast and widespread and as always if you would liked this post check out the rest of our website Income Protection Specialist.com or visit our blog and read more.
