20 November 2018 – Safe and Sober Talk: Alcohol Interlocks and the Fight against Drink-Driving, The Hague

20 November 2018, 09:00-13:00

Pulchri Studio
Lange Voorhout 15, 2514 EA, The Hague, The Netherlands

The European Transport Safety Council held the Safe and Sober Talk “Alcohol Interlocks and the Fight against Drink Driving” in The Hague on 20 November 2018.

Last year, 613 people lost their lives on Dutch roads and hardly any progress has been made in reducing the annual number of road deaths since 2010. In addition, between 2006 and 2016, more than 199 people in the Netherlands died in road collisions due to drink driving.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is one of the four main killers on the road, alongside speeding, non-use of seat belts and driver distraction. Impairment through alcohol is an important factor influencing both the risk of a collision as well as the severity of the injuries that result from collisions.

Across Europe, there is still a group of hard-core drink driving offenders that seem unwilling or unable to change their behaviour despite the use of traditional countermeasures such as awareness campaigns, fines and driving bans.

Studies have repeatedly shown that alcohol interlock programmes, combined with rehabilitation programmes, cut reoffending rates both during and after the driver has installed the device in their vehicle.

Alcohol interlocks can furthermore be used as quality assurance measure in commercial and public transport, ensuring that a sober driver is behind the wheel.

The first part of the event focused on offenders and which measures can be taken to reduce drink driving in the Netherlands.  The use of alcohol interlocks as a quality assurance measure in commercial transport was discussed during the second part of the event.

Download the agenda here.

Presentations

Police’s Experiences in Tackling Drink Drivers | Egbert-Jan van Hasselt, Police

The Dutch Alcohol Interlock Programme: The Rise and Fall of a Promising Road Safety Measure | Charles Goldenbeld, SWOV

Why Did Austria Decide to Implement an Alcohol Interlock Program for Offenders? | Monika Romaniewicz-Wenk, Kuratorium für Verkehrssicherheit (KFV)

A Manufacturer’s Perspective: The Swedish Alcohol Interlock Program for Offenders | Olof Hanssen, Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (ACS)

A Manufacturer’s Perspective: Alcohol Interlocks in Europe | Richard Thomas, Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (ACS)

Drink Driving and Alcohol Interlocks in the European Union | Antonio Avenoso, European Transport Safety Council (ETSC)

Practical Implementation of Alcohol Interlocks in Buses and Minibuses | Sigve J Aasebø, Norwegian Public Roads Administration

Experiences with Alcohol Interlocks in Transport Companies | Marco Koopman, Bolk Transport

A Manufacturer’s Perspective: Fleet Solutions | Olof Hanssen, Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (ACS)

ETSC is grateful to Alcohol Countermeasure System (ACS) for the financial support for this event.