32 states have adopted laws requiring interlocks for first-time offenses
In just five years, the Campaign has gained widespread support for interlocks, adding 15 states to the list of those requiring the devices for all first-time offenders. In addition, 13 states require ignition interlocks for offend- ers with a BAC of .15 or higher, two states require interlocks for offenders with a .16 BAC and one state requires interlocks for .17 offenders. In total, 32 states have ad- opted laws requiring an interlock on first offense at some level. (California has a robust four-county pilot program covering more than 13 million people.) As a point of comparison, in 2006, 101,000 ignition interlocks were installed on the vehicles of convicted offenders; in June 2011, the number rose to 249,000. In total, 89 million Americans are now protected by all-offender ignition interlock laws. MADD believes every state should protect its communities by requiring all convicted drunk drivers to use an ignition interlock
device. Interlocks are a practical and fair way to deal with drunk driving. Mass transit alternatives are scarce, except in major cities, making cars necessary for commuting to work, going to the grocery store and other everyday necessities. Ignition interlocks enable offenders to keep their jobs and to support their families while protecting the public from convicted DUI offenders. Therefore, MADD calls on every state that doesn’t have an all-offender law to pass one during its next state legislative session. MADD also calls on the federal government to provide bold measures in the next highway reauthorization bill to ensure that all states achieve this goal.
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