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MADD Campaign Against Drunk Driving Gaining Support Of Several Other Organizations

There are already eight states that have approved interlocks for first-time convicted drunk drivers. These include Washington, New Mexico, and Arizona. At the present time MADD is launching a project to introduce bills requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk driving offenders in the other 42 states.

The first state in the nation to mandate ignition interlocks for all convicted offenders was New Mexico. Along with mandatory ignition interlocks, the state increased treatment, enforcement, and public awareness. There has been a 20 percent reduction in alcohol-involved fatalities in the state since 2005. State governor Bill Richardson says that he is confident that the state’s increased efforts along with the mandatory interlock legislation have played a significant role in reducing fatalities in New Mexico. He says that based on New Mexico data, the state estimates that in 2006 ignition interlocks prevented some 63,000 alcohol-involved driving events.

Arizona governor Janet Napolitano says that the state has taken a strong stand against drunk driving. Governor Napolitano says that the state has some of the strongest laws in the nation, including a mandatory one-year interlock on cars for the first offense. She sees this as important steps to ensure the safety of Arizonans.

The Robi family aren't able to comprehend how the law could disregard repeat drunk driving convictions. They have learned firsthand about multiple convictions. After years as officers in the Los Angeles Police Department, enforcing the law, on April 27th, 2007, a drunk driving crash made them victims and survivors of a four-time repeat drunk driving offender, who had injured their daughter Jennifer, 12, and her mother, Kath.

Kath Robi says that stronger laws are needed. She sees this as being outrageous. She says the hammer needs to fall on these people. For the last 18 months, Jennifer has been in a hip to chest cast, because of her spinal injury. Kath is a retired LAPD officer. For months she has undergone several surgeries, along with memory loss, and the inability to walk or drive.

An alcohol ignition interlock functions like a breath test device only it is linked to a vehicle's ignition system. A convicted drunk driver must initially blow into the device before starting his or her vehicle. If the driver is violating probation by recording alcohol in his or her system, the vehicle will not start. Thousands of lives could possibly be saved each year, if interlocks were to be required for all convicted drunk drivers throughout the United States.

Included in those organizations now supporting the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving are a vast coalition, including the Department of Transportation, the International Association of Chiefs of Police the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, Nationwide Insurance, NHTSA, and the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Laura Dean-Mooney, MADD National President, says that the organization is endeavoring toward the day when drunk driving will be thought of as the modern day equivalent of polio, when not one single victim of drunk driving is in need of MADD’s help and support. She says that the organization is sure of reaching its goal through the use of straightforward, proven methods.