New curb against drunk driving

BANGKOK, June 1 (TNA) - The alcohol limit for drivers, who will get car insurance coverage in case of an accident, is reduced to from 150 milligrammes to 50 milligrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, according to a new rule, put in effect today. Sutthiphol Thaweechaikarn, Secretary-General of the Office of the Insurance Committee said that Thailand’s death toll from road accidents was recorded the highest in Southeast Asia, one of the measures put in place to curb the road fatalities is lower drink drive limit to 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, down from 150 mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Any driver, whose alcohol level in blood exceeds the newly-imposed drink drive limit is considered driving under the influence of alcohol and the voluntary car insurance will not cover for damages from a road accident, caused by a drunk driver. The new rule is put into effect for insurance contracts, made from today (June 1) onward. However, the insurance coverage is still applicable for the victims or the third party and the insurance company will collect compensation, paid to the third party from the drunk driver. The new drink drive limit is not applicable to the Compulsory Third Party Insurance. (TNA)