Except for such marvels of nature as sunlight, the air we breathe and that extraordinary body system we are granted with to enjoy our passage on earth, nothing in life is for free. Everything has a cost and drink driving is far from being an exception. In fact, alcohol at the steering wheel implies a greater economic cost than we think.

In the US, for example, accidents related to alcohol were estimated to have cost $114.3 billion to the public in year 2000! Monetary costs, which include medical expenses, work lost (productivity), property damage and public services such as the police, account for $51.1 billion while quality of life costs where a value in terms of money is placed upon the sufferings of victims accounts for the rest.

A death provoked by drunken driving is estimated to cost $3.5 million to the US while an injured survivor?s economic impact on the state averages $99,000! Mixing alcohol with driving makes a costly and indigestible cocktail for insurance companies. In the US, drink drive crashes have given rise to $103 billion in auto insurance payments.

In 2004, more than 300 road accidents were related to alcohol in tiny Mauritius while 40% of breath tests performed between January and October 2005 were positive. With the growing size of our vehicle fleet, which because of obvious space restrictions and economic reasons, cannot be at par with our kilometres of road availability, we may have to face unnecessary economic burdens should we not change our attitude towards mixing drinking and driving.

Alcohol robs us of our senses and destroys driving skills leading to heavy consequences on other people?s bills. For example in America, 60% of the societal costs of alcohol- related accidents, which are estimated to be $1 per drink, are paid by people other than the drunken driver!

Why be a life gambler, a public funds robber running earlier to the undertaker, or risk becoming a prisoner when you can simply be a sober driver?

Please don?t drink and drive!

Alain JEANNOT