In 2017, alcohol was involved in 12,000 road accidents involving personal injury. Alcohol immobilizers, called alkolocks, could prevent some of the accidents. At the Traffic Day in Goslar, experts now want to discuss the technology. Answers to the most important questions.
How does the alcohol immobilizer work?
An alkolocks is a breath alcohol meter that is combined with an immobilizer. Motorists need to blow first to let the engine start.
Is it possible to outsmart the system?
Yes, by letting someone else blow. However, according to the Traffic Safety Council, the likelihood is relatively low. Alkolocks usually called for control while driving - until the driver blew. In the US and Australia, cameras were also used, which photographed the people in the breath delivery.
Is an alkolocks duty conceivable?
The accident research of insurers (UDV) pleads for an EU directive, according to which all new vehicles are equipped with Alkolocks. "Throughout Europe, the devices could then be set so that starting at 0.5 per thousand starting the vehicle is no longer possible," says UDV Director Siegfried Brockmann. A driver who runs without such a device, then violate the law. Despite several political initiatives, an alkolocks duty is not yet in sight across Europe.
Could Alkolocks help drunkards?
In question for an alcohol immobilizer would come drivers who were caught with a proportion of alcohol in the blood of 1.1 to 1.6 parts per thousand and get their driving license back after expiry of a lock time. "The system can shorten a lock-up period or bring a criminal case for hiring," says lawyer Christian Funk of the Association Traffic Law of the German Bar Association. In 2017, an alcohol value of between 1.1 and 1.6 per thousand was measured at around 3,000 accident victims nationwide.
What experiences are there from other countries?
According to data from the German Road Safety Council (DVR), studies from the USA and Sweden show that drunk driving with built-in alkolocks is rarer. However, there is one drawback: Once the system is removed, the number of alcohol rides increases again. Legal bases for the use of alkolocks already exist in France, Finland, the Netherlands and Poland.
How much does an alkolock system cost?
Who can be installed as a private person such a device, must pay several thousand euros. Alkolock systems can also be rented in Scandinavia. That would be according to DVR also for Germany an option, if the devices for individual groups of people should be prescribed.