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Alcolock

Traditional measures for reducing drink-driving are increasingly less effective. A promising and innovative measure is the alcolock. This is an alcohol tester which is connected to the car's ignition and prevents it from starting if the driver fails the alcohol test.

 

The alcolock is already quite widely used in the United States, Canada, and Australia for motorists who have been convicted for drink-driving. In Sweden it is not only used to prevent recidivism, but also as a general, preventative measure, widely used in commercial transport. Of all EU-counties, so far only Finland has an alcolock programme for offenders.

 

Various other European countries carry out experiments with the alcolock. Particularly in countries which have already introduced the alcolock, there is a wide public support for this new measure. International studies show that recidivism is far less frequent among offenders who use an alcolock than among offenders whose driving licence has been suspended. To make the alcolock a successful measure it must be part of a broader programme in which monitoring and stimulating participants are important aspects, as well as the treatment of alcoholism, where needed.

 

For more details: Fact sheet Alcolock (pdf)