You should never drink and drive. But some people do and, unfortunately, they take a significant toll on the road, with over 6,700 casualties reported on UK roads in 2021 alone. But there’s a device known as an alcolock that can help prevent drink driving. It’ll be possible to have one fitted to all cars sold in the EU and – in all likelihood – the UK from July 2024.
Here, we’re going to explain everything you need to know about alcolocks including how they work, when they’re used and what the benefits of having one fitted to your car could be. First, though, let’s have a look at why alcolocks are considered necessary at all.
How big a problem is drink driving?
Alcohol can take 24 hours or more to completely clear from your system, so it can be surprisingly easy to find yourself over the drink-drive limit the morning after you had a few beers or glasses of wine with dinner. While you may feel like you’re capable of driving safely, your judgement and ability to control the car could be impaired.
That’s one factor behind the toll that drink driving takes on UK roads. According to figures released by the UK government, there were an estimated 260 alcohol-related deaths on UK roads in 2021. That’s an increase of 21% over 2020’s total, despite increased campaigning and enforcement of drink driving laws.
On top of that, the number of casualties – those killed and injured – resulting from drink driving totalled an estimated 6,740 in 2021. Across the European Union, it’s thought that about 25% of all road deaths are alcohol related.
National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for roads policing, chief constable Jo Shiner, told Parkers: ‘Every time someone makes the decision to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol, they take their own life into their hands and risk the lives of many others.
‘As police officers, we see the pain and devastation experienced by individuals, families and communities who must deal with the awful consequences of those taking these selfish actions and we see it far too often.’
What is an alcolock?
As legislators around the world look for ways to reduce the number of road deaths, dealing with drink driving is a crucial piece of the puzzle. That’s why the EU has introduced new rules requiring all new cars sold in the EU from July 2024 be ‘prepared’ to have an alcolock fitted.
Alcolock is actually a brand name that’s become the catch-all term for a breathalyser that’s plumbed into a car’s ignition system. When one’s fitted to a vehicle, the driver must provide a sample of alcohol-free breath to be able to start the engine.
The driver blows for five seconds into a breathalyser that’s wired into their car’s ignition. Once the sample has been successfully provided, a small amount of breath passes into the alcohol sensor. If the sample contains alcohol, an electrochemical reaction generates an electrical current. The strength of that current is proportional to the amount of alcohol in the sample.
If there’s little to no alcohol in the breath sample, the engine will start. If the amount of alcohol exceeds a set level, the engine won’t start.
By ‘prepared’ for an alcolock, the EU’s new rules mean that every car’s ignition system must be capable of receiving the electrical current from the breathalyser and responding appropriately.
The technology was first developed in the 1970s by automotive industry supplier Borg-Warner. Many companies now produce it, but the biggest supplier is Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (International), which sells its products under the Alcolock brand name.
Where are alcolocks used?
Alcolocks are most prevalent in the haulage and bus/coach industries, where many companies have them fitted to all their vehicles. For the driver, it means they must blow a clean breath every time they start their vehicle. Some companies operate a zero-tolerance policy – blow over the limit once and you lose your job.
Volvo Trucks was the first manufacturer to start offering alcolocks as a factory-fitted option in 2004. Rival manufacturers have followed suit and aftermarket systems are available, as well.
According to Alcolock UK general manager Richard Thomas, large bus/coach companies that use alcolocks include Sleafordian, Readibus, Richmond Coaches and Anthony’s Travel, all of them very well respected within the industry.
Alcolocks are mandatory in all school buses in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Finland, and a number of other countries are considering implementing similar measures. Alcolocks are becoming commonplace on vehicles and machinery used in heavy industry, as well.
Another crucial use for alcolocks is in monitoring people who have been convicted of serious drink driving offences. Trials have taken place in several countries including the USA, Australia and Germany, in which drink drivers’ cars are fitted with an alcolock to make sure they don’t reoffend.
There are very few countries where this is done as a matter of course. However, it’s possible that EU countries will legislate to make alcolocks part of the penalty for drink driving as more cars compatible with the tech reach the road.
What’s the EU law on alcolocks?
In July 2024, the EU’s latest package of vehicle safety measures – the General and Pedestrian Safety Regulations (GSR) – comes into force. All cars sold from that date must have extra safety features including intelligent speed assist, driver attention monitoring and rear cross traffic alert.
A lesser-known feature that’s also included is ‘preparation’ for an alcolock. That means the car’s ignition system must be compatible with an alcolock system, making it easier to fit one. The rules apply to both cars and commercial vehicles.
However, the EU hasn’t laid out any rules on when an alcolock should be fitted to a car. Individual drivers and vehicle operators can have one fitted if they wish, but it’s up to EU member states to pass their own legislation if they wish to make alcolock use mandatory under a particular set of circumstances.
Will alcolocks be fitted to UK cars?
While there have been discussions and consultations, the UK government hasn’t passed any legislation requiring that all news cars be compatible with alcolocks. However, UK vehicle regulations are essentially in synch with EU standards post-Brexit and the vast majority of cars sold in the UK conform to those standards.
So, though the UK has no specific rules mandating alcolock preparation, it’s likely that new cars sold here from July 2024 will have it by default.
In the absence of an alcolock fitted to your car, you can have peace of mind that you’re not driving over the limit by getting a personal breathalyser.
How effective are alcolocks?
If you provide a sample of breath that shows you’re over the set alcohol limit, an alcolock essentially turns your vehicle into a brick. You won’t be able to drive it until you can provide a clean breath sample.
Regrettably, there are instances of drivers getting around the system by having someone else provide the breath sample. If someone asks you to provide a clean breath sample, it’s clear that they know they’re over the limit and shouldn’t be driving, so you should always refuse such a request.
Chief constable Shiner said: ‘Driving under the influence of drink is entirely unacceptable. It is one of the fatal five causes of road collisions that results in thousands of deaths each and every year.
‘This is about personal responsibility and everyone must be accountable. It is not worth the risk and if you know anyone who is driving or intends to drive under the influence of alcohol, report them either to your local police or Crimestoppers if you’d prefer to remain anonymous.’
