Recently, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John L. Mica and members of the Committee unveiled the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, which includes an ignition interlock incentive grant provision that will encourage states to adopt all-offender ignition interlock laws.
Ignition Interlock devices are a key component of the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving®. After passing laws requiring ignition interlock devices for all offenders in Oregon and Arizona, those states saw drunk driving deaths decrease by 52 and 51 percent, respectively. Read more about ignition interlock devices.
Not only do they save lives, ignition interlocks also save taxpayers money. A study of New Mexico’s interlock law found the cost of an interlock was $2.25 a day for the user, but for every dollar invested in an interlock for a first-time offender, the public saves three dollars. This should be no surprise given the price tag attached to drunk driving. In November of last year, MADD released a Report to the Nation showing that drunk driving costs this country $132 billion.
In addition, the act includes important provisions which will help streamline highway safety, providing states more flexibility while holding them accountable for highway safety improvements. It also continues critical paid-ad funding for the annual law enforcement crackdowns on drunk driving and seatbelt use.
The American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act will significantly strengthen highway safety in America and advance MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, and MADD commends Chairman Mica and Ranking Member Rahall for their work to keep us safer on American roadways.
One item MADD hopes will be added to the legislation is the ROADS SAFE Act, which would provide critical research money for advanced alcohol detection technology, known as the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS). This is a cooperative research project between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and leading automakers through the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety to encourage and support the development of new technology that would stop drivers from operating a vehicle if drunk. Contact your legislator in support of the ROADS SAFE Act now.
Read the full press release here.
Submitted by kk at 11:46 AM on February 13, 2012
Submitted by TJ at 02:49 PM on February 3, 2012