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On October 17, 2023, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) joined forty-two national public health and traffic organizations and industries to send a letter to Pete Buttigieg, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary, urging him to begin the regulatory process that would lead to impaired driving prevention technology.

Two years ago, a provision in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directed the USDOT to issue a final rule for an impaired driving prevention standard by November 2024. Experts believe that the new auto regulations will save 10,158 lives every year.

"With one year left to meet the deadline prescribed by law, and with impaired driving rising to levels we have not seen in over a decade, MADD and our partners are pressing for impaired driving prevention technology to be prioritized,” said MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart. “Every month that passes, 1,000 more people will die and even more will be injured due to someone’s decision to drive impaired. This has to stop.” 

According to statistics released in 2022, 2.27 percent of drivers in the U.S. have a prior citation for a DUI. 12.70 percent of motorists have at least one prior accident on their driving record, and 17.78 percent of adults nationwide report excessive or binge drinking. 

The final rule for impaired driving prevention provision requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to conduct a rulemaking process after which auto manufacturers would be given two to three years to implement the new standard. New cars that are equipped with the NHTSA-directed technology could start rolling off the assembly line in 2026-2027. 

MADD documented in a Request for Information (RFI) to the NHTSA in May 2021 that there already are 241 advanced drunk and impaired driving prevention technologies currently in existence that could be deployed immediately. These include: 

• Driving assistance systems that monitor the vehicle’s movement with systems like lane departure warning and collision assist.

• Driver monitoring systems that monitor the driver’s head and eyes, typically using a camera or other sensors.

• Passive alcohol detection systems that use sensors to determine whether a driver is drunk and then prevent the vehicle from moving. 

Fort Myers DUI Accident Attorney Fights for the Rights of DUI Accident Victims 

Attorney Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., and his legal team aggressively fight for the rights of Florida DUI accident victims. When victims are seriously injured because of the negligence of another, they should contact Spivey Law 24/7 at 239.337.7483, toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or online at SpiveyLaw.com, immediately after seeking medical assistance. There are no costs or attorney fees until the firm receives a monetary recovery for its clients.

Attorney Spivey personally handles accident victims’ cases and is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Attorney, of which there is only 1 percent in Florida. Certification is the highest level of recognition by the Florida Bar for competency and experience.

The following are a couple of client case results:

• A multi-million-dollar judgment was obtained for the victim of a DUI accidentwho received brain injuries in a Fort Myers car accident when a drunk driver crossed the center line. 

• A multi-million-dollar jury verdict for a car accident victim who received fractures to his hip, pelvis, and both feet as a result of a drunk driver in Collier County.