MADD Applauds Senate for Increased Alcohol Detection Research Funding
Chairman Murray, Ranking Member Collins Commended for Leadership in Highway Safety
09/23/2011
Contact Information
J.T. Griffin
202-974-2470
Washington, D.C. – Today, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is commending the leaders of the United States Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee for increasing funding for advanced alcohol detection research in the Senate version of the proposed FY 2012 Department of Transportation budget.
The measure, approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on September 21st, provides a total of $6 million for the ongoing DADSS (Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety) research program, $5 million above the proposed budget and $4.5 million more than the current fiscal year.
“Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME) are true champions in continuing this committee’s proud tradition of promoting highway safety,” said MADD National President Jan Withers. “This subcommittee launched the successful legislative push that resulted in the national .08 BAC standard and was the first committee to fund national paid advertising to support traffic safety law enforcement campaigns.”
The DADSS program is a key element of MADD's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® and is the result of a five-year, $10 million cooperative agreement between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the world’s leading automakers, working through the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety. The project’s goal is to develop an inexpensive, publicly-supported and extremely accurate technology that passively senses if a driver is at or above the illegal limit of .08 BAC. If the driver is drunk, the DADSS technology would prevent the vehicle from starting. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety believes the DADSS technology can prevent more than 8,000 drunk driving deaths each year.
“Great progress was made in phase one of the DADSS program, and with this additional funding, the progress can be accelerated towards a goal of a drivable test vehicle at the end of the second research phase.” said Withers, who visited the program’s lab in the Boston area last month. “This funding represents a forward-thinking investment by the Senate Appropriations Committee. We urge the full Senate and House to support this lifesaving initiative as the budget measure moves through the legislative process.”
About Mothers Against Drunk Driving
Founded by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. With the help of those who want a safer future, MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® will end this danger on America’s roads. PowerTalk 21™ is the national day for parents to talk with their kids about alcohol, using the proven strategies of Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence® to reduce the risk of underage drinking. And as one of the largest victim services organizations in the U.S., MADD also supports drunk driving victims and survivors at no charge, serving one person every nine minutes through local MADD victim advocates and at 1-877-MADD-HELP. Learn more at www.madd.org or call 1-877-ASK-MADD.
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