MADD Applauds Alaska Legislature for Passage of Lifesaving DUI Bill

New law to require alcohol ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers

JUNEAU, Alaska, June 19, 2008; Governor Sarah Palin (R) on Monday signed into law a measure that will save countless lives by requiring all convicted drunk drivers to install an alcohol ignition interlock device in their vehicles. H.B. 19, which passed both the Senate and the House unanimously, will make it more difficult for convicted drunk drivers to repeat this deadly crime. When this law goes into effect on January 1, 2009, Alaska will join seven other states furthering MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving by requiring alcohol ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk drivers, including New Mexico, Arizona, Illinois, Louisiana, Washington, Nebraska and Colorado. Mothers Against Drunk Driving applauds Gov. Palin and the Alaska Legislature for working together to pass this landmark legislation, particularly bill sponsors Representatives Kevin Meyer (R), Harry Crawford (D), Max Gruenberg (D), Les Gara (D), Beth Kerttula (D), Berta Gardner (D), Bob Roses (R), Scott Kawasaki (D), Kyle Johansen (R) and Craig Johnson (R) and Senators Kim Elton (D) and Johnny Ellis (D.)

In 2006, 27 percent of Alaska's traffic fatalities involved a drunk driver. An alcohol ignition interlock is a breath test device linked to a vehicle's ignition system. Interlocks are used as a condition of probation for convicted drunk drivers after their driver's licenses have been reinstated. When a convicted drunk driver wishes to start his or her vehicle, he or she must first blow into the device, but the vehicle will not start if there is alcohol in the driver's system.

"This new law will make it harder for offenders to kill and injure others on our roadways," said Glynn Birch, national president of MADD. "MADD thanks state lawmakers and all of those who worked so hard over the course of this legislative session to ensure this bill's passage and we hope that other states will follow Alaska's lead."

While interlocks are proven to save lives, it is estimated that only one out of eight convicted drunk drivers each year currently has an interlock installed on his or her vehicle. Research shows that first-time offenders arrested for drunk driving have driven drunk more than 87 times before their first arrest (1). This law will expand the use of alcohol ignition interlocks making it more difficult for all offenders to repeat their crime.

The tools are now at hand to eliminate drunk driving from the United States. MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving has four elements: intensive, high-visibility law enforcement, full implementation of alcohol ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers, development of advanced vehicle technologies to prevent drunk driving and grassroots support led by MADD and its 400+ affiliates, to make the elimination of drunk driving a reality. For more information, visit www.madd.org.

(1) Zador, Paul, Sheila Drawchuk, and B. Moore. (1997) "Drinking and Driving Trips, Stops by Police, and Arrests: Analysis of the 1995 National Survey of Drinking and Driving Attitudes and Behavior," Rockville, MD: Estat, Inc,1997.