Brussels September 13-15, 2016 Alcohol Interlocks & Building Capacity for Automated Solutions George Yannis, Professor www.nrso.ntua.gr/geyannis National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering
Presentation outline The drinking and driving phenomenon Attitudes towards drink-driving in Europe Alcohol interlocks and automated solutions Discussion
The drinking and driving phenomenon Despite high levels of community education and sustained enforcement, alcohol-related accidents and drink-driving offences continue to pose a threat to road safety. Excess alcohol contributes to about 25% of all road deaths in Europe. With a BAC of 1.5g/l the crash rate for fatal crashes is about 200 times that of sober drivers. Compared to other global regions, Europe is by far the heaviest drinking region of the world.
Road deaths attributed to drink driving evolution In the majority of countries, progress in reducing drink driving has contributed more than its share to overall reductions in deaths. In Cyprus, drink driving deaths were cut by 16% faster than other road deaths each year on average since 2010, in Croatia by 11% and in Israel and Latvia by 10%. In Slovakia, Serbia, Greece, Sweden, Great Britain, Romania, Austria, Estonia, Poland and Lithuania developments in drink driving deaths have slowed down overall progress in reducing road deaths. Difference between the average annual change (%) in the number of road deaths attributed to alcohol and the corresponding reduction for other road deaths over the period 2010-2015. Source: ETSC, 2016
Self-reported behaviour of drink-driving The highest rates of drink driving were recorded in Belgium (43%), France (41%) and Switzerland (38%) and the lowest in Poland (12%), Sweden (13%) and Finland (18%). The same pattern was found for those who had admitted driving when they may have been over the legal limit. The highest rates were found in France (22%), Belgium (18%) and Switzerland (17%), while the lowest rates were again in Finland (1%), Sweden (2%) and Poland (4%). BE FR CH ES PT IT DK DE AT SI EU NL EL UK IE FI SE PL 18% 22% 17% 13% 8% 14% 5% 9% 10% 7% 10% 6% 10% 9% 20% 8% 18% 1% 13% 2% 12% 4% 43% 41% 38% 35% 34% 34% 32% 30% 30% 30% 29% 29% 29% 28% In the past 12 months, as a road user, how often did you drive after drinking alcohol? Over the last 30 days, how many times did you drive a car, when you may have been over the legal limit for drinking and driving? Source: ESRA, 2016 (www.esranet.eu) 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% (%) at least once
Perceived likelihood of being checked for impaired driving In the general car driver population, the perceived likelihood of being checked for impaired driving is quite low: only 18% think that on a typical journey, the probability of an alcohol test by the police is big or very big. The expectation that they could be controlled for drugs is even smaller: only 11% think that the chance of such a police control is big or very big. On a typical journey, how likely is it that you (as a driver) will be checked by the police for alcohol, in other words, being subjected to a Breathalyser test? On a typical journey, how likely is it that you (as a driver) will be checked by the police for the use of illegal drugs? 11% 18% 0% 10% 20% 30% Perceived likelihood of being checked for impaired driving in Europe (% of (very) big chance, i.e. scores 4-5 in a Likert scale from 1 (very small chance) to 5 (very big chance)) Source: ESRA, 2016 (www.esranet.eu)
Perceived likelihood of being checked for impaired driving The percentage of car drivers thinking that the chance of being checked for alcohol is big or very big is the highest in Poland (44%) and the lowest in Denmark (2%). In Poland (44%), France (29%), Slovenia (27%), Spain (24%), Portugal (23%) and Switzerland (19%), the perceived likelihood of being checked for alcohol is above the European average (18%). In Denmark (2%), Finland (4%), Germany (8%), the United Kingdom (9%), Ireland (9%) and the Netherlands (10%), the expectation of being checked for alcohol is particularly low. PL FR SI ES PT CH EU EL IT AT BE SE NL IE UK DE FI DK 2% 4% 24% 23% 19% 18% 15% 15% 15% 14% 13% 10% 9% 9% 8% 29% 27% 44% Source: ESRA, 2016 (www.esranet.eu) 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% Perceived likelihood of being checked for impaired driving by country (% of (very) big chance, i.e. scores 4-5 in a Likert scale from 1 (very small chance) to 5 (very big chance))
Opinions on traffic enforcement Road user opinions about current traffic regulations, how they are being enforced and the penalties for offenders depend on the type of offence and on the prevalence of the specific traffic behaviour. The rarer a risk behaviour is, the tougher the stance on enforcement. Drugs Alcohol What do you think about current traffic rules and penalties in your country for each of the following themes...? (Yes) 10% 12% 64% 68% 80% 87% 61% The majority of respondents think that drink driving regulations should be more rigorous, enforcement should be more intense and the penalties more severe. Seat belts Speeding 24% 33% 54% 47% 46% The traffic rules should be more strict The traffic rules are not being checked sufficiently The penalties are too severe Source: ESRA, 2016 (www.esranet.eu) 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% % of agreement
Support of measures The most supported measures are related to drink driving: zero tolerance for alcohol for novice drivers (80%) and installation of alcohol interlock for recidivist drivers (76%). Zero alcohol tolerance for all drivers (60%) and ban of alcohol sale along highways (56%) are also supported by the majority of respondents. Source: ESRA, 2016 (www.esranet.eu) Penalty points that results in the revocation of the licence Ban of using headphones (or earbuds) by pedestrians and cyclis Ban on alcohol sales in petrol stations along the highways / motorways Do you support each of the following measures? (Yes) Zero tolerance for alcohol for novice drivers Driver who have been caught drunk driving on more than one occasion should be required to install an alcolock Obligation for pedestrians and cyclists to wear highvisibility vests Zero tolerance for alcohol for all drivers Law requiring all cyclists to wear a helmet Obligatory winter tyres for cars, trucks & buses Zero tolerance for using any type of mobile phone while driving for all drivers Allowing cyclists to run red lights when permitted 34% 47% 56% 56% 55% 62% 60% 59% 70% 80% 76% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% % of agreement
Support of alcohol interlock installation The obligation to install alcohol interlocks in cars of recidivist drivers is most supported in Finland (94%), Italy (89%) and Greece (85%). Alcohol interlocks are least popular in Germany (63%), Switzerland and Austria (64%). The support for alcohol interlocks is not simply produced by introducing the relative law, but because road users do not tolerate drunk drivers. FI 27% Source: ESRA, 2016 (www.esranet.eu) DE CH AT NL PT FR EU SI UK BE ES PL IE DK SE EL IT 32% Do you support...? (Yes) 43% 42% 50% 49% 47% 50% 49% 57% 56% 53% 62% 59% 58% 63% 64% 64% 63% 65% 70% 72% 74% 76% 76% 73% 78% 80% 80% 82% 82% 84% 84% 85% 89% 94% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% % of agreement Drivers who have been caught drunk driving on more than one occasion should be required to install an alcolock alcohol interlock (*) Ban on alcohol sales in service / petrol stations along the highways / motorways
Alcohol interlock facts in Europe The size of the problem of drink-driving is well known and understood by European drivers. Overall, the level of enforcement concerning drink-driving is considered rather low. Europeans are in favor of stricter rules and more intense enforcement of drink-driving. The mandatory installation of alcohol interlocks in the cars of recidivists is supported by the majority of Europeans. However, this road users will has not been yet translated into legislative measures in most EU countries. This indicates that the National Authorities either have ignorance of these public opinions or fear too much the minorities reactions.
Alcohol Interlock and Modern Driver Behaviour Monitoring The Internet of Things/Everything (IoT/IoE) is progressively bringing new possibilities and opportunities: - Affordable On Board Diagnostics (OBD) systems, - Wide penetration of Smartphones & Social Networks - Efficient Data Transmission (through GSM networks), - Powerful Cloud computing, - More insightful Big Data analysis Great potential for continuous monitoring and star rating driver safety behaviour, to be exploited for: - insurance premiums - drivers' self-improvement - analysis to support road safety decisions - enforcement of special driver categories (professionals, novice, recidivists, etc,) Alcohol interlock data could be incorporated into driver safety behaviour monitoring, making the driver safety performance assessment more complete (but potentially also integrated with driver health monitoring).
Alcohol Interlock and Automated Traffic Alcohol Interlock could be very beneficial for: - Connected Vehicles - Dual traffic (automated and non-automated vehicles traffic), especially during the long transition phase Alcohol interlocks in dual automated vehicles could be proved valuable for mandatory use of the automatic mode in case of driver under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol interlocks can provide real-time and historical drink-and-drive data, potentially very valuable for static and dynamic programming of the automated vehicle driving behaviour.
Opportunities and Barriers for new alcohol interlock applications Opportunities Internet of Everything will be everywhere soon and alcohol interlock will certainly become part of this "Everything" and "Everywhere" Drivers acceptance is higher when reliable automated systems are deployed for all, than towards the randomness of traditional controls and systems. Barriers Data privacy issues, should be convincingly addressed at technical, organizational and legislation level. People have to digest the idea of being continuously controlled. At the end of the day, society and technology interact and progress together; the pace is dictated by the balance between the opportunities and barriers. Alcohol interlocks are just a part of these technology changes.
Discussion Alcohol interlock is a great tool for educating drivers, especially specific driver groups (professionals, novice, recidivists, etc,). Alcohol interlock penetration will be accelerated if the industry comes up soon with low cost solutions. Community attitudes can either facilitate or inhibit the success of any policy change for alcohol interlocks. Policy makers and the public should be as connected as possible.
Discussion Alcohol interlock should smoothly evolve to a device connected to the modern driver behaviour monitoring systems. Alcohol interlock should be fully included at the agenda of the development and operation of connected vehicles and of automated traffic. Extensive research on alcohol interlock effectiveness is needed, to scientifically support evidence based decision making for the further alcohol interlock wide deployment.
Brussels September 13-15, 2016 Alcohol Interlocks & Building Capacity for Automated Solutions George Yannis, Professor www.nrso.ntua.gr/geyannis National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) Department of Transportation Planning and Engineering