Few issues stir emotions as strongly as drunk driving. To prevent alcohol-related accidents, a clear majority in three out of four Nordic countries believes that alcohol locks should be mandatory in cars.
Drunk driving cause significant devastation and many tragedies each year. In Sweden alone, 52 people died in alcohol- or drug-related accidents in 2023, accounting for 23 percent of all traffic fatalities in the country.*
Many employers in the transport sector have voluntarily introduced alcohol locks for their drivers in an effort to keep impaired drivers off the roads. While there are some requirements for alcohol locks for convicted drunk drivers, and regulations and programs that encourage or mandate them for certain drivers, no Nordic country has a general law requiring alcohol locks in all vehicles.
Where support is strongest
However, there is clear support for introducing such a requirement, according to the Mobility Barometer. Nearly 6 in 10 respondents across the Nordics, or 57 percent, believe that alcohol locks should be mandatory in all cars. Only 20 percent oppose the idea, and roughly the same number have no opinion.
But support is not evenly distributed.
The strongest support is in Sweden, where 65 percent back the idea, followed by Norway (59 percent) and Denmark (57 percent). In Finland, however, there is no majority in favor of alcohol locks; support and opposition are almost evenly split. About one of three people in Finland, 39 percent, supports a law requiring alcohol locks, while 37 percent oppose it.
Differences between men and women
When looking at different groups, more women than men support alcohol locks, with 60 percent of women in favor compared to 53 percent of men. However, opinions are fairly consistent across age groups. There are also marginal differences between those living in cities and those in rural areas — most agree that a mandatory alcohol lock a good idea.
* ”A generalized framework for analyzing car lifetime effects on stock, flow, and carbon footprint,” Yuya Nakamoto, Shigemi Kagawa, Journal of Industrial Ecology 2022;26:433–447, 2021.
Äga bil ska vara enkelt och tryggt, oavsett om det gäller snabb reparation eller planerat underhåll. Med Mekster, MEKO:s e-handel, får bilägaren alla reservdelar, tillbehör och verktyg samlat på ett ställe. Här finns både välkända varumärken och prisvärda alternativ, vilket gör det enkelt att hitta precis det som behövs.
Den rullar tystare, känns modernare och lovar ett enklare bilägande. Men under ytan visar ny, statlig besiktningsrapport från Norge att elektrifieringen inte bara förändrar hur vi kör, utan också hur våra bilar slits och behöver tas om hand.
Tänk om bilservice vore lika självklar att utföra själv som att byta en glödlampa. Det låter som en avlägsen verklighet men under 2025 har studenter visat att detta kan vara en möjlig framtid. Med ambitionen att stärka bilägarens fulla rätt till bilen, inklusive rätten att själv välja vem som utför service och reparation, har studenter från Eindhoven University of Technology utvecklat ARIA (Anyone Repairs It Anywhere), en modulär elbil designad för att kunna repareras av ägaren utan specialiserad kompetens.