By: Alexis Economy
Soon it may be mechanically and physically impossible to drive while drunk, well in Europe at least.
Many leading car manufacturers are conducting tests and research in Europe and Asia with new technological devices that will not allow a car engine to start if the driver has had more than the legal limit to drink.
The leader among the manufacturers is Swedish-based Volvo. Volvo currently offers the Alcoguard, which it launched in 2007, as a feature on cars mainly in Sweden. Volvo is expected to release the devices in all of Europe in the next few years, and then eventually to the United States.
This device is handheld and allows drivers to blow in and receive instant results on their blood-alcohol content level. The device is stored in the center console and has a simple color system to notify drivers of the their results.
In Sweden the legal limit is 0.2 g/l, so if the driver has results of 0.0 to0.1 l/g the engine will start and a green light will shine. If the results are 0.1 to 0.2 g/l the engine will start and a yellow light will shin, however the driver will be informed that he or she should not drive. If the results are 0.2 g/l or greater then the engine will not start and a red light will shine. The device will also notify the driver if he or she needs to exhale for a longer period of time. The results are stored for thirty minutes and then the test must be repeated. The device is removable so it does not have to be used on a daily basis or for a quick trip to the grocery store.
The Alcoguard was developed to lessen alcohol-related accidents and as a result, insurance companies are talking about offering a discount on insurance as an initiative to use the device.
While this is good news for Sweden, and Europe in general, the big question is when will this device make its way over to the United States. The answer to that question is not anytime soon. According to Bryan Buffington, Sales Manager of Volvo of Athens, the Alcoguard is not something that Americans are interested in or receptive to.
“The American public ahs not bought into the product, so I don’t think we are looking to bring it to the U.S. just yet,” said Buffington. Despite the consensus of the American people, students at the University of Georgia seem to be more receptive to the idea.
Paul Brieske, a freshman and History major from Stone Mountain, Ga. says that he would definitely use the device. “Well, I don’t have a car right now, but yeah if I could I would get one so that I can tell whether I was safe to drive or not,” says Brieskse. Cortney Dodson a senior and Nutrition Science major from Carrollton, Ga. agrees with Brieske. “I would do it…I think it’s smart,” said Dodson, when asked if she would add the device to her car.
Other manufactures such as Toyota, Nissan, and Saab are said to be developing similar devices and conducting similar studies, yet when contacted, no sales representatives at Toyota, Nissan, or Saab could offer any type of information. They simply said to check the Internet.
For now it does not look like the Alcoguard will make its way across the ocean to the United States, but if DUI and drunk driving accident statistics continue to rise that could very well change.
For more information on the device, contact your local Volvo dealership or Brian Buffington of Volvo of Athens.
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Alexis and I discussed her writing style in detail. She told me she works better under pressure, because if it were up to her, she'd wait till last minute. She likes more fast-paced writing rather than flowery detail. Alexis likes to write some before starting on the lead. She finds it helps her more. She uses a majority of her notes and includes them into her story for support. Overall, Alexis is more anxious about her writing than confident.
ReplyDeleteWhen editing and reviewing her article, Alexis and I focused mainly on structure. The content overall flowed very well and was easy enough for the reader to undertand. We discussed decresing the size of some paragraphs, because the information load was heavy. We also discussed possible ways of locaiizing the article more to be focused towards Athens resident and students. For a fourth source, I suggested she contact the UGA police to get statistics and facts on drinking and driving from Athens in general. Then, get stats on UGA students in drinking and driving accidents. Also, to find out opinion, as an officer, the effects of Alcoguard on the UGA student population. Another source I recommended was contacting an actual Volvo driver and get their thoughts on Alcoguard.
Great summary and great work in Lab! Excellent suggestions on ways to improve the article.
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