Ignition interlocks: stalling drinkers.

Teigen, Anne

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In 2011, 9,878 people died in alcohol-related car accidents. In each of those cases--31 percent of the total traffic fatalities for the year--the driver had a blood-alcohol level of .08 higher, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Although fatalities in alcohol-impaired driving crashes have decreased in the last few years, the alcohol-impaired driving fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled remained the same from 2010 to 2011.

At least 11 states are considering expanding their ignition interlock laws. This technology is one tool legislators find effective in alleviating the problem. Ignition interlock devices are connected to a vehicle's and analyze alcohol on the breath. They prevent vehicles from starting if alcohol above a set limit is detected on the driver's breath.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have some type of ignition interlock laws. Fourteen states--Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Oregon Utah, Virginia and Washington require all convicted drunken-driving offenders to install the devices. Other states require only repeat offenders or drivers convicted with higher blood-alcohol concentrations to use them. In 2012, Virginia mandated the use of ignition interlock technology for DUI first offenders, and Florida has introduced similar legislation in 2013.

New Jersey is looking at legislation that would let offenders get back behind the wheel sooner if they agree to install the devices. Rhode Island may amend its ignition interlock law. Currently, on a second conviction, a judge may require the offender to install an ignition interlock. A proposed bill would make it mandatory.

With the passage of MAP-21, the new federal transportation bill, grants are available to states that adopt and enforce a mandatory alcohol-ignition interlock law for all drunken-driving offenders. It's a change from the previous federal law that withheld highway funding from states that did not suspend the driver's licenses of repeat offenders for at least a year, among other things.