"Alcohol ignition interlocks are essential to eliminating drunk driving in Nebraska," Simera Reynolds, executive director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Nebraska, said. "This bill comes at a time when one person dies every four days and another person is injured every three hours due to an alcohol-related crash in Nebraska. MADD sincerely thanks our lawmakers for passing a bill that can save lives and stop convicted offenders from driving drunk on our roadways."
Nebraska joins other states taking the lead, including Washington and West Virginia, which have passed similar laws this year to require alcohol ignition interlocks for drunk drivers.
Interlocks are used as a condition of probation for drunk driving offenders after their driver's licenses have been reinstated. An alcohol ignition interlock is a breath test device linked to a vehicle's ignition system. When a convicted drunk driver wishes to start his or her vehicle, he or she must first blow into the device, and the vehicle will not start unless the driver's alcohol level is below the predetermined limit. Studies have shown the devices are up to 90 percent effective in keeping both first-time and repeat offenders from recommitting the crime, as long as the interlock is installed on the vehicle, said MADD in a release.
Research shows that first-time offenders arrested for drunk driving have driven drunk more than 87 times before their first arrest. Two-thirds of those whose licenses are suspended for drunk driving drive anyway. It is estimated that nationally only one in eight convicted drunk drivers each year currently get an alcohol ignition interlock device, and most of those are repeat offenders.
"By passing this legislation, Nebraska has taken a major step to implement a proven solution to prevent deaths and injuries due to drunk driving," said Glynn Birch, national president of MADD. "We know the technology works - it can save thousands of lives, but also gives offenders the ability to drive without endangering the public, which allows them to reintegrate into their lives more rapidly and effectively."
