ALTHOUGH most people are maintaining social distancing in light of the Covid-19 outbreak, our lives are bound to return to normal in the months to come.
And, when it does, drinking and driving will be a thing of the past.
From 1 June, “Zero Tolerance” for drinking and driving will kick in, making it illegal to drive under the influence.
According to the SAPS, if you are stopped at a roadblock and are found to have alcohol in your system, you’ll be arrested and charged with “Driving Under the Influence of Liquor”.
You’ll be held in custody until you’re able to post bail (in certain instances bail may be denied).
Depending on prior convictions against you, as well as the circumstances surrounding your arrest, you’ll face a minimum fine of R2 000, or a two-year prison sentence, or both.
You may also lose your driver’s licence, or have it suspended.
And you’ll have a criminal record.
Fabrice Ruscoe, CEO and co-founder of Request Your Designated Driver (RYDD), explained why the implementation of this new law has to put the brakes on your social life.
“It’s simply not wise to take a chance by drinking, and then driving home. By downloading our RYDD app, you’ll have access to a designated driver at the touch of a button – someone who will come to you wherever you are, within minutes, and drive you home safely in the comfort of your own car,” he said.
While there are several e-hailing apps that have revolutionised the metered taxi industry in recent years, the creators of RYDD aims to bring the same convenience to the designated driver industry.
By creating an app that pairs a user with the closest designated driver, without the need to pre-book your driver hours in advance (unlike other similar services), RYDD allows you to book your driver within minutes of the desired pick-up time, and you don’t have to sign up for a long-term membership either.
To download the app, go to Google Play or App Store.
To find out more, visit http://www.RYDDhome.com/
