Recently introduced bipartisan legislation would promote the research and development of alcohol-detection technology as well as require the technology’s implementation in new motor vehicles.
The Reduce Impaired Driving for Everyone Act of 2019 (RIDE Act) would federally fund the research and development of technology that detects if a driver is over the legal alcohol limit. If detected, the device will prevent the driver from starting the car.
A pilot program would be created to equipped federal General Services Administration vehicles with the technology. Private fleet owners and state and local partners also would have their vehicles equipped under the program.
The technology would be federally mandated to be installed on all new vehicles.
Advanced alcohol detection technology would save an estimated 7,000 lives annually.
A total of 10,847 Americans were killed by drunk drivers in 2017, and drunk driving is 33 percent of traffic fatalities. That is an average of one death every 48 minutes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Drunk drivers have only a 2 percent chance of being caught by law enforcement.
The bill was introduced by U.S. Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Tom Udall (D-NM).
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced the HALT Drunk Driving Act, similar legislation to the RIDE Act, in the House of Representatives.