Technology Prohibiting Drinking and Driving May Come Sooner Than First Thought

Washington DC April 26, 2006; The AIADA newsletter reported that use of ignition interlock devices which prohibit a car from starting if a driver has had too much alcohol is starting to catch some momentum.

New York state legislators are considering whether to require the devices on all cars and trucks by 2009, and automakers Volvo and Saab, who both equip their cars in Sweden with the technology, are considering now whether to bring it to the U.S., reports USA Today.

AIADA's Rev-Up America partner Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) supports this idea. "If the public wants it and the data support it, it is literally possible that the epidemic of drunk driving could be solved where cars simply could not be operated by drunk drivers," says Chuck Hurley, CEO of MADD.

According to USA Today, "Manufacturers are perfecting technology that could detect alcohol on the skin surface, eliminating the need for the current, cumbersome, blow-into-a-tube breath-analyzing systems. Current breathalyzers cost about $1,000. The newer systems are expected to cost about the same."

The legislation in New York was introduced by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, who also sponsored the bill, which became the first law banning use of cell phones while driving.