Title: Is an alcohol ignition interlock programme(AIIP) a useful tool for changing the alcohol and driving habits of drink-drivers?
1Is an alcohol ignition interlock programme(AIIP)
a useful tool for changing the alcohol and
driving habits of drink-drivers?
- Bo BjerreAssociate Professor, Swedish Road
Administration, Borlänge, Sweden - Ulf Thorsson
- Statistics Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden
2Questions and objectives
- Does participation in an AIIP result in lasting
treatment effects? - The effect of a two-year AIIP is compared to
conventional licence revocation
3Conclusions
- Yes, an AIIP seems to be a useful tool for
changing the alcohol and driving habits of
drink-drivers - A successfully completed two-year AIIP produces
lasting effects - A 60 reduction in drink-driving recidivism
- Approximately an 80 reduction in the number of
police-reported traffic accidents compared to the
situation during the pre-treatment period.
4The design of the AIIP
- Interlock device checked bimonthly
- Every third month compulsory medical examination
biological markers, toxicological urine analysis,
AUDIT - From the 5th examination (12 months in the
program) biological markers must verify sober
living - Expensive The full cost borne by the offender
(about 5 500 )
5The design..
- If passing the 2-year program
- - reissued full driving licence
- - regarded as rehabilitated from alcohol abuse or
dependency (from a traffic safety point of view)
6Conventional licence revocation
- Those not participating in the AIIP (controls)
regain their licence after 12-24 months of
revocation and - An approved doctors certificate including
- At least 2 normal series of alcohol markers
during 3-6 months and - Passing a new driving test
7Method
- The AIIP group1.266 persons between the ages of
24 and 65. 11 of the drink-drivers elected to
participate. 10 of the participants are women. - Control group K1 DWI offenders (454 persons) in
other counties that had answered they would have
applied for an AIIP had they been given the
opportunity - Control group K2 DWI offenders (8.094 persons)
who chose not to participate in the AIIP
8Treatment effects are measured through
- Self-assessed alcohol habits (AUDIT)
- The individuals ability to retake a driving
licence - The frequency of DWI offences
- The number of police-reported traffic accidents
- Sick leave records
9Percentage of participants remaining on the AIIP
each month during the two-year trial period
10Reasons for exclusion from the AIIP
- A total of 48 of the original participants drop
out - Of these 45 are excluded due to repeated
attempts to start a vehicle with alcohol in their
breath - Another 38 are excluded as they have been unable
to verify sobriety during the second trial year - The remaining 17 of the drop-out are due to
voluntary exclusion
11How many people have regained their drivers
licence 2 and 3 years respectively after the DWI
offence
12Alcohol habits according to AUDIT, among those
who have regained their licence
13DWI recidivismamong those who have regained
their licence
14Police-reported traffic accidents involving
human injury,among those who have regained their
licence
15Number of days of sick leave, among those who
have regained their licence
16Summary
- Completion of an AIIP has favourable effects
compared to conventional licence revocation and
is a more useful tool for attaining lasting
changes in the alcohol and driving habits of DWI
offenders - A mandatory AIIP is now suggested for all Swedish
DWI offenders