[Frank Lee]

... an email I just got from them:

Dear Frank,

Can you take one minute to tell Congress to help develop technology with the potential to save 8,000 lives and prevent drunk driving?

Next week, the United States Senate will consider legislation which would provide critical research funding for the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety, or DADSS. Please email your Senator here.

As you may know, DADSS holds the promise of turning the car into the cure for drunk driving by passively detecting is a driver is above the legal BAC limit. If so, the driver's car won’t start.

This legislation is a key piece of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving and we urge you to email your Senator and ask them to support the Motor Vehicle Safety Act when it is considered on the Senate floor. Thanks for your help.

Sincerely,

Laura Dean-Mooney
National President
Mothers Against Drunk Driving

Hmmm... what is this? OH- here is what it is:

Why are we here?
The Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have entered into a cooperative research agreement to explore the feasibility, the potential benefits of, and the public policy challenges associated with a more widespread use of in-vehicle technology to prevent alcohol-impaired driving.

Almost 9,000 road traffic deaths could be prevented every year if alcohol detection devices were used in all vehicles. Aftermarket ignition interlocks have been used successfully among convicted drunk drivers to significantly reduce the incidence of impaired driving. However, deployment of the current technology on a more widespread basis as a preventative measure is not likely to occur because drivers are required to provide a breath sample each and every time before starting the vehicle. To be acceptable for use among the general public, including those who do not drink and drive, alcohol detection technologies must be far less intrusive – they must not impede sober drivers from starting their vehicles. They would need to be capable of rapidly and accurately determining and measuring alcohol in the blood. They would also need to be small, reliable, durable, repeatable, maintenance free, and relatively inexpensive.

The technical challenges in meeting these goals are substantial, however, the potential benefits to society are compelling. It has been estimated that almost 9,000 road traffic deaths could be prevented every year if alcohol detection devices were used in all vehicles to prevent alcohol-impaired drivers from driving their vehicles. To achieve these goals, a step-by-step, data-driven process will be followed to ensure that effective technologies are developed. Technological solutions can be effective only if the driving public who use the technologies understand and accept them. Only when technology meets the exacting standards described above and is coupled with public acceptance, will consideration be given to applying it more widely.

It is an alcohol interlock system not just for convicted drunks... for EVERYONE.