2018-02-21 12:30
Alcohol interlocks – devices that prevent a vehicle from being started if a clean breath sample is not provided – should be fitted to vehicles belonging to repeat drink drivers professional drivers, a leading safety body has said.
The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has commissioned a new report that highlights there are still more than 5,000 drink-drive related deaths across the EU. As such, it has called for the mandatory fitment of alcohol interlock devices – also known as ‘alcolocks’ - in certain vehicles.
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The ETSC says repeat drink drivers’ cars and professional vehicles – including lorries and buses – should be fitted with alcohol interlocks. Drivers would have to blow into the device every time they start their vehicle, and if a breath sample above the legal limit were to be provided, the vehicle would not start.
According to the ETSC, new cars should also be built with standard electronic interfaces for alcohol interlocks, making them easier to retrofit.
Some countries and organisations either have alcohol interlock policies in place, or plan to introduce them. From 2019, drivers in France committing a second drink-drive offence will be forced to have an alcohol interlock fitted to their vehicle if they want to get back on the road.
French coaches already have them fitted as standard, while British coach operator National Express introduced mandatory interlocks across its entire fleet back in 2010.
Antonio Avenoso, the ETSC’s executive director, said: “High levels of enforcement are critical to solving Europe’s drink-driving problem. And for those drivers who carry on getting behind the wheel after drinking, despite checks and sanctions, alcohol interlocks are an important and effective way of getting people rehabilitated.
“It’s also crucial that drivers entrusted with professional vehicles carrying goods or passengers must never be allowed to get behind the wheel when they are over the limit. Many fleets across Europe are already using interlock devices, it’s time they were made a standard feature.”
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