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Study Shows Interlocking Systems Prevent Drunk Driving In All Types of Drivers

by Jake Tully - Published: 3/29/2018

Earlier today the Insurance Institute for Highway Safeway announced that recent research shows that laws in which impaired-driving offenders must install alcohol interlocks in their vehicles has reduced the number of impaired drivers in the country by 16 percent.

According to the Insurance Institute, alcohol interlocks qualify as in-vehicle breath-testing units requiring a blood alcohol concentrate at levels typically between 0.02 and 0.04 percent.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safeway reports that forty-five states require an alcohol interlock for certain alcohol-impaired drivers, with several California counties following suit with an interlock system. 

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Eric Teoh, Senior Statistician for IIHS and paper’s lead author reports that a reduction in fatal crashes were also reviewed in the latest report in relation to greater presence of interlock systems. 

"We looked at the number of alcohol-impaired passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes over time and compared them with the number of drivers in fatal crashes that didn't involve impairment," says Eric Teoh, IIHS senior statistician and the paper's lead author. "We found that state laws mandating interlocks for all DUI offenders reduced the number of drivers in fatal crashes with BACs of 0.08 percent or higher by 16 percent compared with no interlock law."

The Governors Highway Safety Association reported its support of interlocking systems, stating that IIDs are among the most effective drunk driving counteractive measures in all facets of driving, accounting for both commercial and civilian transport.

More information on the IIHS report can be found at the institute’s site.