A Quarter of All Volvo Trucks Have Alcolocks

One way of fighting against alcohol as a cause of 30 percent of all fatal road accidents is to fit alcolocks, which prevent the vehicle from being started by a driver who is over the legal blood alcohol limit. Volvo Trucks has been offering a factory-fitted alcolock since 2005, and today more than one in every four trucks sold by the Swedish manufacturer have it.

"Very few commercial vehicle drivers drive under the influence of alcohol. However, since the consequences of an accident with a heavy vehicle can be so serious, it is important to do everything possible to prevent anyone from getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol," explained Carl Johan Almqvist in a statement.

Many large and mid-sized haulage firms now have a policy of equipping their trucks with alcolocks, and Volvo Trucks is, in fact, the only truck manufacturer to offer a factory-fitted alcolock.

"More and more customers are seeing the alcolock as a quality-enhancing tool - there should be no doubt that the company's drivers are sober behind the wheel," added Almqvist.

Sweden has made most progress when it comes to alcolocks in heavy commercial vehicles. However, interest is increasing in other countries too, for example Finland and France, which have both enacted legislation requiring school buses to be fitted with the safety device.

"The attitude to alcohol in traffic has become much tougher in many markets in recent years, and I'm convinced that increasing numbers of haulage companies will soon realise the benefits of the alcolock. The Swedish example shows just how quickly a breakthrough can happen," Almqvist concluded.