Chicago DUI lawyer says MADD wants Interlock Ignition Devices coming soon to you

This Chicago DUI lawyer has posted here, here, and here about Interlock Ignition Devices, a/k/a BAIID. These devices are attached to your vehicle and require the driver to blow into the machine in order to start the car and subsequently at random intervals. Now comes word that the goal of MADD is to have Interlock Devices in all cars.

September 29, New York, NY

But one area where progress is being made in the United States is in the use and development of devices that measure a driver’s blood alcohol content through a breath test before the car is able to start.

Just this year, Arkansas, Hawaii and Utah passed laws, bringing to 10 the number of states that have made alcohol ignition interlocks mandatory in cars for convicted drunken drivers, even first-time offenders. The other states are Alaska, Arizona, Illinois, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico and Washington.

And attitudes may be changing, too. While opponents of interlocks cite privacy issues and concerns that some devices might be overly sensitive, a survey released this month by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showed that about two out of three respondents were in favor of putting reliable alcohol detection systems into all cars, not just into the cars of offenders.

Last year a public-private partnership was begun to research, develop and test the technology that detects alcohol in a driver’s system. The systems are intended to be put in all cars, not just in those driven by people who have been convicted of driving under the influence. Called the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety Program, it is a cooperative agreement between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety, a consortium of automakers. The program is expected to cost $10 million.

Three companies based in the United States, Canada and Sweden are developing the prototypes that are expected to be ready for testing next summer, Dr. Ferguson said. In-vehicle testing is expected to be by February 2013. The new detection systems are being designed to work quickly, accurately and unobtrusively, she said, noting that the ones in use now are considered intrusive and not acceptable for widespread use. “Certainly within 10 years, the technology will be vehicle-ready, if not sooner.”

A report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety states that while about 180,000 interlocks are in use nationwide and successfully reduce the risk that previous offenders will commit repeat violations, most fatal alcohol-related crashes involved drivers who hadn’t had a conviction in the previous three years. If interlocks had been in all vehicles, according to estimates in the report, more than 8,000 lives could have been saved last year.

“The main reason people drive drunk is because they can,” said Chuck Hurley, chief executive of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. “The only way to eliminate drunk driving is to have technology in all vehicles so no one can drive drunk.”

See, people aren't capable of being responsible for their actions. They really need Big Brother to do everything for them don't they?