The HALT Drunk Driving Law – Anti-Drunk Driving Technology for All
MADD’s bold and achievable goal is that every new car will be equipped with anti-drunk driving technology by 2030, setting us on a path to end drunk driving for good. Once in place, this technology will save more than 10,000 lives per year and prevent hundreds of thousands of injuries. MADD victims and survivors worked with a bipartisan group of Members of Congress, representatives of the auto industry, and the U.S. Department of Transportation for 16 years to advance the development and deployment of anti-drunk driving technology.
Lifesaving Anti-Drunk Driving Technologies
The HALT Drunk Driving Act, signed into law on November 15, 2021, directed the federal government to establish a regulation for all new cars to come equipped with anti-drunk driving technology.
BREATH-BASED
- Measures BAC with a breath sensor on the steering column
- BAC measured before car will move
TOUCH-BASED
- Measures BAC with a touch-based sensor for example on the start button
- BAC measured before car will move
IN CAR SENSORS
- Cameras on dash or rear-view mirror that measure eye movement for intoxication
- Checks driver impairment while car is in motion
Anti-Drunk Driving Technology Saves Lives
10,000 / year
What is the HALT Drunk Driving Law?
The Honoring Abbas Family Legacy to Terminate (HALT) Drunk Driving Act was passed in to law on November 15, 2021. It is named in honor or Rana Abbas Taylor’s family – her sister Rima, brother-in-law Issam and their children Ali, Isabella and Giselle – who were killed by a wrong-way drunk driver on January 6, 2019.
The law requires a new federal regulation for anti-drunk driving technology that is not obvious to sober drivers but prevents someone who is drunk from driving. Automakers will be required to design their vehicles with the technology included – the same way cars today come equipped with seatbelts, airbags, and backup cameras.
You can play a vital role in getting this technology to the finish line by joining MADD’s Advocacy Network.
The HALT Drunk Driving Law Support & Media
LETTERS OF SUPPORT
American consumers strongly support the Congressional technology mandate. According to two nationwide polls conducted by Ipsos for MADD, 9 out of 10 Americans said technology that is integrated into a car’s electronics to prevent impaired driving is a good or very good idea. Another study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found nearly two-thirds of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed with the mandate for vehicle impairment prevention technology on all new vehicles.
Dozens of traffic safety and public health organizations, representatives from the insurance industry, alcohol industry and thousands of victims and survivors of impaired driving crashes have also advocated for this law.
HERE ARE EXAMPLES OF THIS SUPPORT:
Auto Insurance Industry Support for Technology to Prevent Drunk Driving
Distilled Spirits Council and Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility Letter
HALT Law Support Distilled Spirits Council and Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility
RIDE Act Support Distilled Spirits Council and Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility
RIDE HALT Law support letter Anheuser-Busch
RIDE HALT Law support letter Beer Institute
Statement of Advocates Cathy Chase for Senate Commerce Driving Innovation Hearing
The HALT Act became law with the tenacious advocacy victims and survivors on impaired driving, champions in Congress and an extensive and impressive list of partners who are all willing to activate to ensure lifesaving technology become standard equipment on all new cars.
Here are examples of advocates rallying around this movement:
THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA
The news media plays an integral role in educating the
public about the HALT Act technology requirement for news cars.
COVERAGE OF THE PUSH TO EQUIP ALL NEW VEHICLES WITH IMPAIRED DRIVING PREVENTION TECHNOLOGY:
NBC News Drunk Driving Prevention Technology Coming Soon To
Newly-Built Vehicles
LA Times: Congress mandates new car technology to put the
brakes on drunk driving
Forbes: Lifesaving Tech To Stop Impaired Drivers In New
Vehicles Widely Supported
Roll Call: Infrastructure law has a mandate for tech to stop
drunken drivers
NPR: What if cars could stop you from driving drunk? A peek at
the latest tech
US News: NTSB Calls For Technology to Battle Drunk Driving
Washington Post: Drunken driving is a persistent problem. But
there may be a technological solution
Tech Crunch: Drunk-driving provision could fuel demand for
driver monitoring technology
New York Times: Drunken-Driving Warning Systems Would Be
Required for New Cars Under U.S. Bill
NBC Nightly News: How New Car Tech Aims To Prevent Drunk
Driving Deaths