Alcohol in Road Traffic

Dipl. Ing. Klaus Robatsch, KfV – Austrian Road Safety Board

Klaus Robatsch, head of the Road Safety Department at the Austrian Road Safety Board (KfV), addressed the topic of alcohol in road traffic at the symposium "Alcohol – Cure or Curse... or Both?" on December 21, 2022, at the Billrothhaus.

In 2021, over 1,250,000 people worldwide were killed in traffic accidents, including 20,000 in the EU and 362 in Austria. However, in 1972, Austria recorded more than 3,000 road fatalities—a number that has significantly decreased due to key safety measures.

The introduction of mandatory helmet laws, the reduction of the blood alcohol limit from 0.8 to 0.5 per mille, and various speed restrictions have all played a crucial role in enhancing road safety. Additional measures, such as the probationary driver’s license and the 0.1 per mille alcohol limit for young drivers, have further contributed to this positive development.
From January 1, 2024, every newly registered vehicle in the EU must be equipped with a connection port for an AWS (Alcohol Interlock System), which prevents a car from starting if alcohol is detected in the driver’s breath.
Although the Austrian Road Safety Board (KfV) considers this measure to be effective and sustainable in reducing drunk driving, the implementation of the AWS system in Austria remain
s uncertain.