Lock Out Drink-Driving Campaign calls for alcohol interlocks
Road safety organisations have launched the Lock Out Drink-Driving Campaign, leading calls for mandatory alcohol interlock technology for repeat drink-drivers.
Backing the campaign are RAC, Brake, Road Victims Trust, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), Road Safety GB, Alcohol Health Alliance, Road Safety Foundation and Vision Zero Communications.
They have now written an open letter to the government urging it to introduce alcohol interlock technology for repeat drink-driving offenders.
The government pledged to review the technology as part of its Road Safety Strategy, while and RAC poll found that 82% of drivers would back the introduction of the measure in the UK.
Effective tool
Simon Williams, head of policy at RAC, said: “Alcolocks represent one of the most effective tools available to the government, which is readily available and can have an immediate impact on high-risk and repeat offenders.
“We have seen the evidence from programmes around the world, and we know the public support is there, all that is left is for the government is to act now.”
A spokesperson for the Lock Out Drink-Driving Campaign said: “This letter represents cross-sector support for the government to commit to the introduction of a court-ordered alcolock programme for repeat drink-drivers.
“The system we see today is simply not an effective deterrent. The current penalties are not working, and offenders are repeatedly putting not only their lives but also others at risk. We need to do more so that lives are not needlessly lost.”
