Summer: the season of weddings, festivals and barbecues!

The long awaited British summertime is here and the shorts are out! For many of us this spells a season of weddings, festivals and barbecues. It is also the perfect time, with sun roofs and windows open to their fullest, for taking to the roads. The longer daylight hours, clear visibility and dry roads provide the optimum driving conditions. With more of us getting behind the wheel, and alcohol being thrown into the mix, it is no wonder, that insurance claims during the summer months are on the rise.

Many of us enjoy a few drinks at social occasions, and the lure of this seems to be doubly increased when the weather is nice.  It’s handy, therefore, to plan ahead. Try these simple tips, so it needn’t be a burden on your schedule:

• Designate a driver among your group.
• Search and save a convenient route using public transport. It is always wise to know how to get to a railway or bus station from the venue to cover all eventualities.
• Hitch a ride off a friend who’s not staying for the festivities.

Remember - the few minutes it takes to plan ahead costs you the same amount of time as waiting for someone to use the loo before you set off.

Of all the summer events, festivals are what I look forward to most. Part of the thrill is being totally immersed in the music, atmosphere and people around me. For those few days, it feels as if you are removed from the responsibilities of the outside world. Yet it is important to remember that this illusion will quickly wear off once the stage lights go out and everyone’s traipsing through fields of rubbish and tripping over trying to get to the exit. It is at this time in the night, that being on the ball and thinking about getting home safely should be a reality.

In these situations, the planning done prior to leaving really does show its benefits as its key to avoiding potential dangers. For instance  if your plan falls through and your designated driver has been drinking, having public transport directions or the local cab number saved, will get you home all the same. Waiting for alcohol to pass is beyond worrying as it’s difficult to calculate how long it takes to leave your system. It is always good to have other safe options ready.

A monumental event such as a wedding day never wants to be remembered for the road accident that occurred nor a family barbecue marred by a near collision. And the only bang that a festival should go out with is the sound of the final bass drop. Plan ahead. It’s just not worth the risk, hassle or bad feeling.

To find out more about alcohol and driving take our IAM RoadSmart awareness seminar: https://www.iamroadsmart.com/courses/alcohol-awareness-seminar

Work within driver rehabilitation? Keep a look out for new resources from us, to be launched later in August.

Thenuka Mahendrarasa, IAM RoadSmart Social media executive.