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Alcohol Ignition Interlocks Help Eliminate Drunk Driving – Not Social Drinking

  5/9/2008

Contact Information

Heidi Castle 
469-420-4545 
heidi.castle@madd.org  

Misty Moyse 
469-420-4558 
misty.moyse@madd.org

Last week a group of “family-friendly” chain restaurants, hiding behind the American Beverage Institute, a restaurant and alcohol industry lobby group, launched a national attack on the implementation of ignition interlocks for convicted drunk drivers which have been repeatedly proven to save lives.

While ABI’s membership is a well-kept secret, reliable sources tell MADD that the primary supporters of this initiative are the parent corporations of some of the best-known chain restaurants in the country including:

  • Outback Steakhouse
  • Applebee’s
  • Bahama Breeze
  • Carrabba’s
  • Chili’s
  • Macaroni Grill
  • Maggiano’s
  • Olive Garden
  • On the Border
  • P.F. Chang’s
  • Red Lobster
  • T.G.I. Friday’s

MADD is profoundly disappointed that these “family-friendly” chain restaurants appear to be putting alcohol profits ahead of public safety. We call upon these restaurants to stop hiding behind ABI and explain to the public why they oppose laws proven to keep drunk drivers off the road.

This is yet another chapter in ABI’s long, sad history of fighting to keep drunk drivers on the road including opposition to .08 BAC and sobriety checkpoints – both proven to stop drunk driving and save lives. ABI’s consistent stand is that America’s drunk driving laws are too strict and should not be enforced.

The average person convicted of drunk driving has driven drunk 87 times before their first arrest. Contrary to ABI’s false claims, this is not a social drinker who has a beer or two at a ball game, a glass of wine with dinner, or a champagne toast.

As part of its Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, MADD is pushing for mandatory ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers. The Campaign also calls for intensive, high visibility DUI law enforcement, the exploration of advanced technology to stop drunk driving and the mobilization of grassroots support.

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