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Ending Drunk Driving MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving ® celebrated its 10 th Anniversary in 2016. We are pleased that the Campaign’s support for high-visibility law enforcement, including sobriety checkpoints, advocacy for ignition interlock laws for all drunk driving offenders, and our pledge to push for the development of advanced vehicle technology, including the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS), produced new lifesaving laws and renewed our commitment to eliminating drunk driving across our nation. In Maryland, our relentless battle to pass an all-offender bill finally paid off in April, when the General Assembly unanimously passed “Noah’s Law,” named for Officer Noah Leotta, who was killed by a repeat drunk driver while on DUI patrol in December 2015. Two additional states — Rhode Island and Vermont — and the District of Columbia also passed all-offender ignition interlock laws, bringing the total number of states to 28 plus D.C. California, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Ohio took significant steps toward increasing its ignition interlock use among first offenders. For the first time in Georgia, first offenders have the option to choose an ignition interlock or restricted driving privileges for 12 months. In California, the legislature passed an ignition interlock law that offers a strong incentive to use an ignition interlock instead of restricted driving privileges. Pennsylvania also passed a robust law that will require ignition interlocks for all offenders with a .10 blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or higher. At the end of 2016, the Ohio Legislature passed “Annie’s Law,” named for Annie Rooney, who was killed by a repeat drunk driver in July 2013. Annie’s Law gives first offenders the option to use an ignition interlock during their license suspension period. Other legislative successes included an improved ignition interlock law in Tennessee and “Tyler Head’s Law,” creating memorial signs for loved ones who have been killed by impaired drivers. Mississippi also passed an improved interlock law, and Kentucky extended the look back period for prior drunk driving offenses to 10 years. MADD continued to support DADSS funding for research and development of a passive, in-vehicle alcohol detection technology to stop drunk drivers from operating a vehicle. We worked diligently to include language in the annual transportation appropriations bill to fully fund this program and to encourage the federal government to expedite
Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Ending Drunk Driving
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