Events, Past events

28 May 2019, Safe and Sober talk: The fight against drink-driving in Lithuania, Vilnius

May 29, 2019

Tuesday 28 May 2019, 13:00 – 17:00
Safe and Sober Talk
Courtyard Vilnius City Center
Rinktinės str. 3, Vilnius, LT-09234, Lithuania

The Lithuanian Ministry of Transport and Communications and the European Transport Safety Council organised the Safe and Sober Talk “ The Fight against Drink Driving and Alcohol Interlocks” on the 28th of May in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Driving under the influence of alcohol is one of the four main killers on the road, alongside speeding, non-use of seatbelts 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.

During the Safe and Sober Talk, both aspects were discussed with national and international experts, policy makers and stakeholders.

The agenda of the conference is available here.

You can also access the agenda in Lithuanian here.

Please find below the presentations:

Antonio Avenoso, drink-driving and alcohol interlocks in the European Union

Par-Ola Skarviken, the Swedish Alcohol Interlock Program for offenders

Monika Romaniewicz, drink-driving in Austria: alcohol interlocks and driver rehabilitation programs

Olof Hanssen, ACS, alcohol interlocks: how do they work in practice ?

Grazina Belian: road safety: the dimension of alcohol control

Marija Kazanovič, Traffic police experience in tackling drink-driving in Lithuania

Gintaras Aliksandravičius, opportunities to reduce drink-driving

Simultaneous interpretation was available in English and Lithuanian.