The person behind the wheel

Most accidents are not caused by the car or the road but by the driver. You may have perfect technique and know all the rules, but if you are under the influence, tired or looking at your mobile phone, it does not help. This chapter is about your own ability to drive safely.

The basic rule

You may not drive if, because of illness, exhaustion, the influence of alcohol or other substances or for any other reason, you cannot drive in a safe manner (Traffic Ordinance (trafikförordningen) 3 kap. 1 §). The rule applies regardless of whether you have passed any limit or not. It is your own responsibility to decide whether you are fit to drive.

Alcohol

How alcohol affects you

Alcohol impairs your ability to drive even at low levels:

• Your reaction time becomes longer, especially in complicated situations.
• Your eyesight is affected. Your eyes work together less well, so it becomes harder to judge distances. Your night vision gets worse and you become more sensitive to dazzle.
• Your judgement is impaired. You take greater risks and at the same time believe you are driving better than you are.

According to Trafikverket (the Swedish Transport Administration), about 20 per cent of the motor vehicle drivers who die in traffic have alcohol in their body. In single-vehicle accidents (singelolyckor) the proportion is about 35 per cent.

Burning off alcohol takes time

The body burns off on average about 0.15 promille of alcohol per hour, but this varies between individuals. Nothing speeds up the process. Coffee, food or a cold shower do not make you sober faster. Only time helps.

This means that you may still have alcohol in your blood the morning after a party. In addition, your performance may be clearly impaired the day after even when the alcohol level is zero. Trafikverket therefore advises you not to drive the day after.

The limits

You are guilty of drink-driving (rattfylleri) if you drive with at least 0.2 promille of alcohol in your blood or 0.10 milligrams per litre of exhaled air (Act on Penalties for Certain Traffic Offences (lagen om straff för vissa trafikbrott) 4 §). The penalty is a fine or imprisonment for at most six months.

The offence can be judged as aggravated drink-driving (grovt rattfylleri) if (lagen om straff för vissa trafikbrott 4 a §):

• the alcohol level is at least 1.0 promille in the blood or 0.50 mg/l in exhaled air,
• you are otherwise considerably under the influence, or
• the driving has involved an obvious danger to road safety.

The penalty for aggravated drink-driving is imprisonment for at most two years. Drink-driving also normally leads to your driving licence being revoked.

Remember that the basic rule also applies below 0.2 promille. Anyone who cannot drive safely may not drive.

The supervisor

During practice driving, it is the supervisor (handledaren) who counts as the driver. This means that the supervisor must be just as sober as if they were driving themselves.

Drugs

For narcotic drugs (narkotika) there is no limit. You are guilty of drink/drug-driving (rattfylleri) if you drive and have any narcotic substance remaining in your blood, during or after the driving (lagen om straff för vissa trafikbrott 4 §). It makes no difference whether you feel affected or not, and traces can remain long after the high has worn off.

Medicines

The exception to the zero tolerance applies to medicines (läkemedel) that you have taken as prescribed (lagen om straff för vissa trafikbrott 4 §). But if you are nevertheless so affected that you cannot drive safely, it is still prohibited to drive (trafikförordningen 3 kap. 1 §).

Many common medicines can make you tired or affect your ability to react, for example some medicines for allergy, pain, sleep problems and anxiety. Read the package leaflet and ask a doctor or pharmacy if you are unsure. Be extra careful when you start a new medicine or combine it with alcohol.

Fatigue

Fatigue (trötthet) is one of the major risks in traffic. According to VTI (the Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute), sleepiness may be a contributing cause of about 10–40 per cent of all road traffic accidents.

What causes fatigue?

• Too little sleep.
• Having been awake for a long time.
• Driving late at night or early in the morning.

VTI identifies young drivers, professional drivers, shift workers and people with sleep disorders as risk groups.

Warning signs

• You yawn often and find it hard to keep your eyes open.
• You cannot remember the last few kilometres.
• You miss signs or exits.
• The car wanders or you end up close to the edge line.
• You have short "sleep attacks" and jerk awake.

What helps?

The only thing that really helps against fatigue is sleep and rest. Cold air, louder music or talking to passengers can keep you awake for a short while, but the cause remains. If you notice that you are getting tired: stop in a safe place and rest, preferably with a short nap. Plan longer journeys with regular breaks and do not drive when you would normally be asleep.

Distraction and mobile phones

The rules

You may use a mobile phone and other communication equipment while driving only if it does not have a negative effect on your driving. You may not hold it in your hand (trafikförordningen 4 kap. 10 e §). This means that:

• hands-free is permitted, but only if the call does not disturb your driving,
• the prohibition applies the whole time you are driving on a road, even when you are standing still in a queue or at a red light,
• you must end the call or stop at a suitable place if it takes too much of your attention.

Why it is dangerous

Looking away from the road for just a few seconds means that the car travels many metres without anyone seeing where it is going. At 50 km/h the car travels about 14 metres per second. Even hands-free calls take attention away from driving, because the brain cannot focus fully on two things at once.

Other common distractions:

• setting the satnav or music while driving,
• eating, drinking or looking for things in the car,
• lively passengers or pets moving around freely,
• strong emotions such as stress, anger or grief.

Set what you need before you drive off. If you need to do something else: stop first.

Peer pressure and attitudes

As a new driver it can be hard to say no when friends want you to drive faster, or when someone who has been drinking wants to drive. Decide in advance what you will do. You are the driver and you have the responsibility, both for yourself and for your passengers.

Remember

• You may never drive if you cannot drive safely, whatever your blood alcohol level.
• Drink-driving: from 0.2 promille in the blood or 0.10 mg/l in exhaled air. Aggravated: 1.0 promille or 0.50 mg/l.
• The body burns off about 0.15 promille per hour. Only time helps, and the day after you may still be impaired.
• Zero tolerance applies to narcotic drugs. Prescribed medicines are exempt, but you must not be impaired.
• Only sleep and rest help against fatigue. Stop and rest when you notice the warning signs.
• You may not hold your mobile phone in your hand while driving, not even in a queue.