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WASHINGTON, DC – Today, during a hearing on legislation to make cars safer, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI) continued her leadership on reducing drunk driving deaths to save lives. Dingell reignited her efforts to curb drunk driving after the Abbas family from Michigan were tragically killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver.

Video of the hearing is available HERE and HERE.

“Drunk driving is the single largest cause of traffic fatalities – and July is the deadliest month for drunk driving,” said Dingell. “In January, our community was devastated by the passing of the Abbas family. Around the country, too many will be torn away from their families and loved ones because of the stupid actions of others. Drunk driving is avoidable and preventable. Congress, industry, and safety groups must work together and do everything we can to enhance safety and stop drunk driving.”

At the hearing, Dingell announced new legislation that calls for the commercialization and standards for passive alcohol detection systems in all new cars. The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADDS) is an innovative technology that passively tests drivers intoxication. The technology does not require action from the driver, such as blowing into a breathalyzer, but will prevent the car from moving if tests for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) are above 0.08 percent – the legal limit in all 50 states except Utah.

Dingell’s legislation moves DADSS out of development processes and gets it into cars and direct National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to begin rulemaking in 2022, and finalize a rule in 2024 to require all new cars be equipped with “advanced drunk driving prevention technology.”

“At the service for the Abbas’ family, I will never forget the young girl who came up to me. She said ‘Mrs. Dingell, we have the technology to prevent drivers from driving drunk. Why isn’t it required?’,” said Dingell. “She was right. We’ve heard about DADSS and other technologies for years. It’s time we get this technology tested at scale, get it into cars and in front of consumers – because it will save lives.”

“Drunk driving stubbornly remains the number one killer on America’s roads, taking a life every 48 minutes,” said MADD National President Helen Witty. “Technology can eliminate this violent, senseless crime. We are grateful to Congresswoman Dingell for her leadership and relentless commitment to finding solutions that will stop these tragedies.”

Drunk driving is the number one cause of death on America’s roadways. More than 10,000 deaths—about 30 percent of all fatal crashes—are caused by drunk driving each year. The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADDS) Program is a private-public partnership is developing and testing technology that would not require any additional action – such as blowing into an interlock device – to prevent a drunk driver from starting a vehicle. The goal of the DADDS program is to develop technology that is accurate and precise at stopping drunk drivers while being unobtrusive and not creating any inconvenience to a sober driver.

In January, a Michigan family – Issam, Rima, Ali, Isabelle, and Giselle Abbas – were tragically killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver while returning from a family vacation. The wrong-way driver in the crash had a blood alcohol content (BOC) of .306, which is more than three times the legal limit. Dingell honored their lives on the house floor and pledged action by introducing the Abbas Stop Drunk Driving Act which requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to set a federal motor vehicle safety standard that would require all new vehicles to be equipped with an ignition interlock device. DOT would have to complete this standard within one year.

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