Crashes caused by driving under the influence of alcohol claim over 13,000 lives and injure tens of thousands every year. A big percentage of these can be avoided through the use of anti-drunk driving devices and technologies. In light of this, the International DUI Technology Symposium will be held on June 19-20 in Albuquerque, NM. The symposium will gather researchers, law enforcers, and criminal justice officials to showcase the latest in anti-drunk driving technologies that can help reduce fatalities and injuries caused by crashes. The ignition interlock is one of the most popular anti-drunken driving technologies available and has been used for about 20 years now. It works by requiring the driver to breath into a tube connected to an alcohol sensor before the car can start.
Now, there are new anti-drunken driving technologies that will be showcased at he said event. These include passive alcohol sensors and transdermal alcohol sensors. Passive alcohol sensors detect alcohol in the air around the mouth of the driver. This device can be installed in the police officer’s flashlight and can be the basis for further sobriety tests. Meanwhile, transdermal alcohol sensors, which lock onto the driver’s ankle, detect alcohol from the sweat in the skin surface then later stores and upload the information gathered to a remote server.
As of now, these technologies are still underutilized with police officers resorting to traditional methods. As a result, they miss about half of drivers with high blood alcohol concentrations. These new technologies will help law enforcers to help deter impaired driving.
June 21st, 2006 at 10:57 am
Smart Start also has delivered new technology for these purposes. The Smart Start 20/20 is the newest in ignition interlocking devices. This new unit captures a picture of the person delivering the breath sample for purposes of positive identification. Some really neat new things coming, tune in to see the latest at my blog.
June 27th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
Should All Cars Come Equipped with Breathalyzers?
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2004, 16,694 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes. With statistics like that, it is easy to see why state legislators are getting calls to mandate equipping cars with breathalyzers and ignition interlock devices.
An ignition interlock device is a sophisticated system to determine a driver’s blood alcohol level. The apparatus requires the driver to blow into a small handheld unit that is attached to a vehicle»s dashboard. The alcohol sensor records a digital reading if a blood alcohol level is above a preset point, then car cannot be started.
The idea of widespread use of such equipment once considered radical, no longer seems out of the question. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) gives a qualified endorsement to the idea. Legislation is pending in at least 12 states that would require interlocks for some or all first-time offenders. New York state legislators are considering requiring the devices on all cars and trucks by 2009
Assemblyman Felix Ortiz, the sponsor of the New York bill is the same lawmaker who also sponsored the first law banning the use of handheld cell phones while driving. When confronted with complaints about the cost (Current breathalyzers cost about $1,000) or invasion of privacy concerns, Ortiz says he heard similar complaints about the cell phone ban and hands-free technology. He compares the criticism to early complaints about mandatory safety belts.
MADD, The National Commission Against Drunk Driving (NCADD), and others trying to reduce the estimated 17,000 alcohol-related fatalities a year say ignition interlock devices are the only certain way to divide potential drunken drivers from their “weapons.”
“If the public wants it and the data support it, it is literally possible that the epidemic of drunk driving could be solved where cars simply could not be operated by drunk drivers,” says Chuck Hurley, CEO of MADD, which is hosting its first conference on drunken-driving technology in June.
“What a great day that would be.”
Currently there are approximately 70,000 ignition interlocks are on vehicles, the lions share of them are ordered by the courts for repeat drunken-driving offenders.
A former National Transportation Safety Board official, Barry Sweedler, has been working to get automakers to place the wiring for ignition interlock devices in all cars there by making it easier to install the devices. Once interlocks can automatically check alcohol levels without any action from drivers, Sweedler believes they should be standard equipment in all cars.
Many of the companies offer car insurance are also interested in the application of such technology but have not yet backed the idea of requiring it as standard equipment.
Opposition to Breathalyzers
As you can well imagine, there has been vast opposition to mandating that all cars be equipped with such devices. Civil libertarians complain that such devices installed in cars owned by people who have not been convicted of a DUI offence, is simply unconstitutional.
Plans to mandate universal use of such devices cause John Doyle, executive director of the American Beverage Institute, recoil. “This campaign is a lot further down the pike than people realize,” says Doyle. (American Beverage Institute is funded by chains including Outback Steakhouse and Chili»s and is leading the opposition to broader use of interlock devices.
What happens if your car stalls in the middle of traffic? Would the motorist have to blow again before being able to start the vehicle? Ignition-interlock.com reports that a driver must wait 30 seconds before starting the car in order to achieve an accurate reading.
“What about people who suffer from asthma?†“Will all users physically be able to handle the stress of taking a Breathalyzer on a regular basis?†Marietta Carr displayed similar concern to KRQE News 13.
“I understand why the courts would require drivers convicted of DUI, especially repeat offenders to install such devices, but I don’t drink and drive; so there is no valid reason to force me to put one in my carâ€, states Alan Craine, Telecommunications executive.
Larry Lubell Can be contacted @ Larry@UrbanInsuranceAgency.com
September 13th, 2006 at 10:39 am
Breathalyzers should absolutely be required as standard equipment in all motor vehicles. 3,000 people died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, approximately 3,000 American military personnel have died in the Iraq war and nearly three times that total, 17,000 American civilians die every year due to drunk drivers. 17,000 DIE EVERY YEAR!! Not to mention the tens of thousands of people injured by drunk drivers. Not to mention billions of dollars drunk driving costs in medical, property damage, law enforcement and legal bills.
It is unbelievable that this hasn’t happened yet. People will argue that they don’t drink and drive so why should they be inconvenienced by the minimum effort it takes to activate the breathalyzer. Did they ever consider that they or a loved one may be a victim of a drunk driving accident. Are they not upset about the inconvenience we encounter at the airport because 3,000 people died.
Its a simple fact that when someone becomes legally intoxicated that their judgement (i.e., decision making ability on whether to drive or not) is impaired. Therefore, in most instances drunk driving is a largely unintention act and the only way to prevent it is to take away the choice to drive if one’s had too much to drink.
The new technology makes these devices to be a very minor inconvenience and the cost would be miniized once they’re required in all vehicles. We are required to have air bags and wear seat belts but those safety features are of little comfort when a drunk driver is barreling toward you at a high rate of speed.