When using an alcohol lock, the driver has to breathe into a breath analyzer, in the same way as required during alcohol checks by the police. When the blood alcohol content is too high, the driver will not be able to start the car. For verification, the driver also has to breathe into the device while driving. In 2018, the European Commission proposed equipping all new cars with an interface for fitting an alcohol lock [9]. After all, alcohol consumption by road users is still one of the main crash factors. An alcohol lock programme would result in a 65-90% reduction of the recidivism rate, at any rate for the duration of the programme (also see SWOV fact sheet Driving under the influence of alcohol ). When, however, an alcohol lock is combined with an extensive programme not only dealing with the symptoms but also with the causes of the alcohol problem, this combination may lead to permanent changes in both alcohol consumption and driver behaviour [25] [26]. The price of an alcohol lock (programme) is rather high and this is seen as an impediment. The EU proposal may, on account of economies of scale, lead to lower costs and will make it easier, for employers for example, to include an alcohol lock in their company policies or safety cultures.
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