“At a time when traffic deaths are at historic levels, MADD applauds the National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that auto manufacturers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration prioritize deployment of passive advanced impaired driving prevention technology and explore the use of technologies such as driver monitoring systems, many of which are available now.
Victims and survivors of impaired driving fought long and hard for a law passed last year that requires NHTSA to set a new auto safety standard for impaired driving prevention technology by 2024 that would be included in all new cars by 2027. The new law received bipartisan support in Congress and was backed by leading traffic safety organizations, the alcohol industry and top auto insurers.
Technology that monitors both the driver and driving behavior exists now to stop the senseless deaths and injuries on our road, and the auto industry has the expertise and resources to meet the Congressionally mandated requirement. Every month that we wait to implement it means another 1,000 people killed and 25,000 injured by drunk driving.
We are grateful that the NTSB put its weight behind prioritizing impaired driving prevention technology in all new cars. We are heartbroken that this is part of an investigation into a drunk driving crash in California that killed eight innocent people – Gabriela Verdin, her four children Brooke Pulido, Giada Pulido, Jonah Pulido and Mia Pulido, nieces Daniella and Camila Ayala and nephew Anthony Ayala. It’s devastating to know that technology could have saved them.”
– MADD National President Alex Otte
Contact: Becky Iannotta, [email protected]
