Stop North Carolina Car Accidents By Preventing Anyone Who is Drunk From Driving
A new survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety that many people would like to stop anyone who is drunk from driving. 2 out of every 3 of the 1,004 people surveyed liked the idea of developing technology that would prevent drunk people from being able to start a vehicle.
Currently, there are ignition interlock devices installed in certain autos. Some people convicted of DWI have this device in their vehicles. The device is designed to prevent a convicted DWI offender whose blood alcohol content registers above a certain level from starting the auto’s engine.
Some 180,000 interlock devices are currently in operation. While they are effective at reducing the chances that a prior DWI offender will drive drunk again, not everyone who drives drunk has this device in their vehicles. According to the institute, more than 8,000 car accident victims might not have died last year if all vehicles had been equipped with interlock devices.
The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety is currently considering new detection technologies. Support for such a device was high among survey takers—even among participants who drink at least four times a week.
Too many lives are lost because of drunk drivers. As our Raleigh car accident law firm reported, several days ago, Dr. Raymond Cook was driving at a speed of 85 mph when he fatally struck the vehicle driven by 20-year-old Ellen Shapiro, who was a ballerina. Cook is accused of driving drunk and he is charged with second-degree murder.
In Gaston County, North Carolina, Marcus Wakefield is also charged with second-degree murder over his fiancé’s Gastonia car accident death. Wakefield lost control of his vehicle on Garrison Boulevard. The car then flipped over into the Catawba Creek. While the 31-year-old driver was able to get out of the auto, Johnetta McLean did not escape. Wakefield was initially charged with just DWI.
New survey results: stop anyone impaired by alcohol from driving any vehicle, public says, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, September 17, 2009
Gastonia Man Admits Impairment Led To Deadly Crash, WSOCTV.com, September 23, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Pubic is Ready to Lock Out Driving Over the Legal Limit, IIHS (PDF)
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
