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BERLIN, Germany - The German government is considering vehicle locks that will not allow a car to start if its repeat-offender driver has been drinking again.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition members have jointly proposed that the Transport Ministry test the use of so-called alcohol locks, according to the daily Saarbruecker Zeitung.
'COULD BE HELPFUL'
According to the proposal, drink-driving offenders would be allowed to keep their driving licence if they agreed to have such a lock fitted to their car to breathalyse them before releasing the engine.
Similar legislation has been introduced in Sweden and Austria and is being discussed by the European Union.
"We are open-minded about the voluntary use of alcohol locks," a transport ministry spokeswoman said. They could be helpful in the rehabilitation of repeat drink/drive offenders.
However, no formal request had reached the ministry, and she ruled out the wide-scale introduction of such locks because "this would place everybody under suspicion of having a drinking problem".
Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition members have jointly proposed that the Transport Ministry test the use of so-called alcohol locks, according to the daily Saarbruecker Zeitung.
'COULD BE HELPFUL'
According to the proposal, drink-driving offenders would be allowed to keep their driving licence if they agreed to have such a lock fitted to their car to breathalyse them before releasing the engine.
Similar legislation has been introduced in Sweden and Austria and is being discussed by the European Union.
"We are open-minded about the voluntary use of alcohol locks," a transport ministry spokeswoman said. They could be helpful in the rehabilitation of repeat drink/drive offenders.
However, no formal request had reached the ministry, and she ruled out the wide-scale introduction of such locks because "this would place everybody under suspicion of having a drinking problem".
