WASHINGTON — New York Democratic Rep. Kathleen Rice announced recently she will introduce legislation mandating American automakers to install ignition interlock technology in all new cars that detects a driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) and block the engine from starting if the driver’s BAC is above the legal limit.
“Advancing the progress we’ve made combating drunk driving demands bold action,” Rice said in a press release.
“It demands that we take a stand and say we refuse to keep letting drunk drivers take 10,000 lives each year. We refuse to keep seeing families torn apart when we know we can do more to prevent it. Strict enforcement is important, holding drunk drivers accountable is important, but we can and must do more to stop drunk drivers from ever hitting the road in the first place. That’s why I’m working on legislation to require ignition interlock devices in all new cars. This technology saves lives, it saves money, and I’m going to fight to make it standard equipment in American cars.”
Rice previously served as District Attorney of Nassau County, N.Y., where she was known for aggressive drunk driving prosecutions and recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).