- Mothers Against Drunk Driving - Media Center - MADD's Official Position Statement

MADD's Positions on Enforcement Sobriety Checkpoints Preliminary Breath Testers (PBTs) and Passive Alcohol Sensors (PASs) .08 Per Se BAC Mandatory BAC Testing for Death and Serious Injury Enforcement Technology Drug Recognition Expert Program Open Containers in Vehicles Racial Profiling Sobriety Checkpoints MADD supports the frequent and regular use of highly publicized sobriety checkpoints and/or other high visibility enforcement programs to detect and apprehend alcohol and other drug impaired drivers, and as a visible deterrent to drinking and driving. Preliminary Breath Testers (PBTs) and Passive Alcohol Sensors (PASs) MADD supports providing the most modern technology (Preliminary Breath Testers -- PBTs) to police officers investigating drunken drivers, both to increase the efficiency of the arrest process and to protect the innocent. .08 Per Se BAC MADD supports setting the illegal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for non-commercial drivers age 21 and older at .08 per se. Mandatory BAC Testing for Death and Serious Injury MADD advocates the mandatory requirement of alcohol/drug testing of all drivers in all traffic crashes resulting in fatalities or serious bodily injury. Enforcement Technology MADD supports the testing of and development, evaluation and implementation of new technology to assist police in the enforcement of DWI/DUI laws. Examples of such new technology include passive alcohol sensors, videotaping of DWI/DUI offenders and in-vehicle computer terminals for license/criminal records checks. Drug Recognition Expert Program MADD supports more widespread training and certification of Drug Recognition Experts to better equip law enforcement agencies in the apprehension, identification and prosecution alcohol and other drug-impaired drivers. Open Containers in Vehicles MADD endorses open container restrictions which prevent the consumption of alcohol or the possession of open containers of alcohol in any motor vehicle. Racial Profiling MADD supports continued efforts to eliminate racial profiling and enforce drunk driving and underage drinking laws effectively and without prejudice. MADD supports law enforcement’s efforts to protect society from needless death and injury by strictly enforcing drunk driving and underage drinking laws. While the enforcement of traffic laws is essential in keeping our nation's highways safe, MADD also realizes any enforcement of our laws needs to be accomplished without prejudice, while protecting those individual rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution, and treating everyone with dignity and respect. MADD strongly supports accurate and appropriate data collection on traffic stops to identify and discourage improprieties and provide the information needed to enact appropriate policies and strategies, along with the necessary funding. MADD also supports implementation of video cameras to document activities and protect both the officer and the community. MADD strongly encourages law enforcement agencies to continue implementing appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that racial profiling does not occur and to investigate and take immediate action on any violations.

MADD's Positions on Enforcement

Sobriety Checkpoints
Preliminary Breath Testers (PBTs) and Passive Alcohol Sensors (PASs)
.08 Per Se BAC
Mandatory BAC Testing for Death and Serious Injury
Enforcement Technology
Drug Recognition Expert Program
Open Containers in Vehicles
Racial Profiling

Sobriety Checkpoints

MADD supports the frequent and regular use of highly publicized sobriety checkpoints and/or other high visibility enforcement programs to detect and apprehend alcohol and other drug impaired drivers, and as a visible deterrent to drinking and driving.

Preliminary Breath Testers (PBTs) and Passive Alcohol Sensors (PASs)

MADD supports providing the most modern technology (Preliminary Breath Testers -- PBTs) to police officers investigating drunken drivers, both to increase the efficiency of the arrest process and to protect the innocent.

.08 Per Se BAC

MADD supports setting the illegal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for non-commercial drivers age 21 and older at .08 per se.

Mandatory BAC Testing for Death and Serious Injury

MADD advocates the mandatory requirement of alcohol/drug testing of all drivers in all traffic crashes resulting in fatalities or serious bodily injury.

Enforcement Technology

MADD supports the testing of and development, evaluation and implementation of new technology to assist police in the enforcement of DWI/DUI laws. Examples of such new technology include passive alcohol sensors, videotaping of DWI/DUI offenders and in-vehicle computer terminals for license/criminal records checks.

Drug Recognition Expert Program

MADD supports more widespread training and certification of Drug Recognition Experts to better equip law enforcement agencies in the apprehension, identification and prosecution alcohol and other drug-impaired drivers.

Open Containers in Vehicles

MADD endorses open container restrictions which prevent the consumption of alcohol or the possession of open containers of alcohol in any motor vehicle.

Racial Profiling

MADD supports continued efforts to eliminate racial profiling and enforce drunk driving and underage drinking laws effectively and without prejudice.

MADD supports law enforcement’s efforts to protect society from needless death and injury by strictly enforcing drunk driving and underage drinking laws. While the enforcement of traffic laws is essential in keeping our nation's highways safe, MADD also realizes any enforcement of our laws needs to be accomplished without prejudice, while protecting those individual rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution, and treating everyone with dignity and respect.

MADD strongly supports accurate and appropriate data collection on traffic stops to identify and discourage improprieties and provide the information needed to enact appropriate policies and strategies, along with the necessary funding. MADD also supports implementation of video cameras to document activities and protect both the officer and the community.

MADD strongly encourages law enforcement agencies to continue implementing appropriate policies and procedures to ensure that racial profiling does not occur and to investigate and take immediate action on any violations.