Capito Introduces ROADS SAFE Act: Identical Bill Introduced In U.S. Senate In March

Press Release

Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., introduced a bill to spur the development of new in-vehicle technologies to prevent drunk driving. The Research of Alcohol Detection Systems for Stopping Alcohol-related Fatalities Everywhere (ROADS SAFE Act) would authorize $12 million annually over five years of currently unused funds--meaning there is no additional taxpayer expense--for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) program.

Funds would strictly be used to research an optional safety feature on new cars that could unobtrusively detect if a driver's BAC (blood alcohol level) was above the legal limit of .08.

"Drunk driving deaths are 100% preventable, yet in 2009 over 10,000 people died from fatal crashes caused by drunken drivers. This is a smart, common sense bill to research how we can eliminate drunk driving and save lives," stated Capito.

In West Virginia, 115 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver, representing 32% of total traffic fatalities in 2009.

"MADD is profoundly grateful for Congresswoman Capito's leadership toward the elimination of drunk driving," said MADD President-Elect Jan Withers. "The ROADS SAFE Act holds the promise of turning cars into the cure and making drunk driving a thing of the past."

In March, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-NM) and Bob Corker (R-TN) introduced the ROADS SAFE act in the U.S. Senate. Capito hopes Members on both sides of the Capitol will see this as a straightforward, reasonable approach to exploring technologies that can help us keep drunk drivers off the road.

Numerous industry leaders and non-profit organizations support the ROADS SAFE Act, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Century Council, General Motors and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers.

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