Increase in Use of Ignition Interlocks Shows Success of MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving

According to a new survey, 2013 Survey of Currently-Installed Interlocks in the U.S., conducted by Impact DWI, Inc., there are nearly 305,000 ignition interlock devices currently installed in the United States.  This demonstrates that usage of interlocks has increased at a rate of 30,000 units installed per year over the past eight years, while the number of drunk driving fatalities has been decreasing during the same time period.

The findings of this survey validate the success of the Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® launched by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in 2006.  Ignition interlocks, a key element in MADD’s Campaign, are devices that require breath tests of convicted drunk drivers before their vehicles will start. The Campaign calls for the use of ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers with an illegal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) .08 or greater.

“The Campaign is working to save lives and prevent drunk driving,” said MADD National President Jan Withers.  “However, more needs to be done. This survey clearly shows that the states with all-offender ignition interlock laws have seen a reduction in the number of lives lost as a result of drunk driving crashes.”

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