A permanent alcohol interlock program for drink drivers came into force on 1 January 2012. The Swedish Transport Agency is responsible for the program which applies to all types of driver’s licenses. The program includes both a one-year and a two-year alternative. The two-year program applies to offenders whom have committed a severe drink driving offence (BAC > 1 g/L, the legal limit in Sweden is 0.2 g/L), have an earlier offence within the previous five years, or have the diagnosis alcohol use disorder or alcohol dependence. All others are assigned to the one-year program. Several aspects of the alcohol interlock program are evaluated at VTI. This report presents the results of an interview study with a total of 31 drivers who had committed a drink driving offense. They were interviewed both at a meeting, and at follow-up telephone interviews. The drivers are 11 people who participated in the two-year program, 10 people who participated in the one-year program and 10 people who did not participate in the interlock program. The results show different reasons for applying for alcohol interlocks following a drink driving incident. These include the need to cope with everyday life (such as work and errands), but also that a driver's license and a car are strongly associated with quality of life and the habit of driving. A predominant reason to not apply for an alcohol interlock was the associated monetary cost. Furthermore, for some informants, access to public transportation was also provided as a reason to refrain from alcohol interlock. Generally, the informants with alcohol interlocks express that the opportunity to install these devices has been hugely important to them, and that they are very grateful. The alcohol interlock has meant that they have been able to sustain a living, both in terms of work and leisure. All informants, regardless if they have alcohol interlocks or not, believe that they will never drive drunk again. One reason for this is the large monetary costs that the drink driving offense resulted in. These costs generally include a monetary fine for the offense, and within the system of alcohol interlocks the cost of the alcolock and its service, as well as the costs of doctor’s visits and tests. Those outside the system possibly had to do a new driving test, and some have lost their income because they became unemployed and had difficulties finding a new job that did not require a driving license. Another reason stated to not drink and drive in the future is that the informants do not want to undergo the process of obtaining alcohol locks again, a process that is described as complicated and demanding. The informants report that the personal responsibility to perform all actions required to obtain the interlock created a lot of pressure. They also feel that they were at the mercy of doctors who could miss to call for samples or submit a medical certificate on time. Furthermore, the information about the program provided by the Swedish Transport Agency is perceived as unclear and difficult to read. On a personal level, the informants state that the drink driving offense has given rise to great shame, which they do not want to expose themselves to again. They also claim that they intend to change their alcohol behavior, having gained a better understanding on how long alcohol remains in the body. They believe that they will refrain from driving the day after drinking alcohol. As an aid to this, a few select to retain the alcolock after the mandatory period has expired, while others instead buy a breathalyzer. The results of this study primarily point to a need for better information to the persons entering the system with alcohol interlocks for drink driving. The information from the Swedish Transport Agency needs to be simple and clear so that it is easily accessible to all offenders. Furthermore, there is need for clear and personal schedules in terms of what and when various documents are to be submitted to the Swedish Transport Agency. There is also a need for clearer information on what type of doctor is qualified to issue medical certificates, as well as a need for more information regarding the interlocks themselves. In addition, the cost of the system with alcohol interlocks for drink driving needs to be reviewed to identify obstacles to getting more people to apply. Informants who have alcohol locks also feel that they did not have full knowledge of the costs of the system and that the costs were much higher than expected. (Author/publisher)
Abstract