In the spring of 1998, the Swedish Parliament enacted legislation to permit a 5-year pilot program for interlocks, starting in February 1999. The first interlock system was installed on March 1, 1999. By the end of the year there were over 100 offenders on the program, which roughly corresponded to the number of people caught drinking and driving in the same period. An offender who participates in the pilot program is required to remain on the program for 2 years and, during that period, to go through a medical examination every three months. After one year it is expected that biomedical indicators of alcohol use will be consistent with those of a "normal" person. Assuming that is the case, the offender is permitted to remain on the program, and after 24 months he will get his ordinary drivers license back. Program conditions also specify that the participant cannot register more than a few positive test results on the interlock system's data recorder. Offenders who fail the 12-month medical examination, or accumulate too many positive BAC test results, are removed from the program, and then become subject to any suspension period that may have been imposed from a conviction for the offence.
Abstract