Interlock Facts

WASHINGTON – Today the American Beverage Institute (ABI) denounced radical legislation proposed by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn), which would require every driver in New York to pass an alcohol breath test before starting a car.

Ortiz believes his bill – HB 2632 – would lead to a reduction in alcohol-related fatalities. The initiative, however, fails to target the actual drunk driving problem in New York.

“By calling for mandatory breathalyzers for every single driver in New York, Ortiz is ignoring the root cause of today’s drunk driving problem—hard core alcohol abusers,” said ABI Managing Director Sarah Longwell.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that the average blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of a drunk driver in a fatal car crash is 0.18%, or twice the legal limit. Additionally, a NHTSA administrator has said that today’s problem is “by far and away” made up of “those who have alcohol use disorders.” Former MADD president Katherine Prescott has made similar statements, saying that the drunk driving problem has been reduced to “a hard core of alcoholics who do not respond to public appeal.”

Yet Ortiz’s proposal for New York fails to target this dangerous population. Instead, it will force everyone to install breathalyzers in their cars. Even those who do not drink at all.

His bill is part of a little-known movement that seeks to mandate ignition interlock technology in all cars as standard equipment in the United States. The federal government and auto manufacturers (including General Motors, Ford, Toyota, BMW, and Volkswagen) have partnered for this goal through the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS). The project’s objective is to develop alcohol-sensing technologies, such as dashboard-mounted monitors and steering wheel and gear-shift detectors, to be installed in all cars. Toyota, Nissan, Saab, and other car companies are already developing new interlock technology to be installed as standard equipment.

“Ortiz’s intrusive, radical bill punishes every innocent driver for the bad behavior of a few. This kind of zero tolerance is not anti-drunks. It’s anti-drinks.” said Longwell. She added, “proposals like this aim to effectively eliminate responsible drinking prior to driving. That means no more wine with dinner, beer at a ball game, or champagne toasts at a wedding.”