What can be done about

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What can be done about drunk driving in Hawaii?
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD-Hawaii)
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What is MADD? MADD-Hawaii has worked for nearly 2
4 years to stop drunk driving, to support the
victims of this violent crime, and to prevent
underage drinking. We have a small staff in Hon
olulu, who are supported by volunteers like
myself.
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During the 1980s and 1990s, we saw a steady
decline in alcohol-related traffic deaths in our
state from an average of 86 per year in
1982-1985 down to an average of 56 in 1996-1999.
Then, suddenly, in the last four years, this
number started climbing again. For the most
recent four-year period, 2003-2006, our average
was 73 alcohol-related traffic deaths each year!
And then in 2006 the number soared to 84 and
Hawaii became the worst state in the nation in
percent of alcohol-related traffic deaths.
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• So let's ask three questions
• What did we do right in the 80s and 90s?
• What's going wrong today?
• What can we do about it?

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During the 80s and 90s, successful efforts were
made by MADD, by the governors, the Legislature,
the Judiciary, and law enforcement, to attack
drunk driving through education, legislation and
enforcement
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New, stiffer penalties became law
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The don't-drink-and-drive message got out to the
community thanks to excellent support from the
media
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Federal funds helped police increase checkpoints
and patrols
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By 2000, the message had gotten around. Most
people had paid attention.
But not everyone.
MADD believes there is a growing "hard core" of
drivers who don't care what harm they might
cause, and who don't think they'll get caught.
They drink and drive because they can.
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These hard core offenders are not "innocent"
occasional, social drinkers who were unlucky
enough to get caught. National studies show that
someone has to drive impaired (blood alcohol
level of .08 or more) at least 87 times before
getting caught for the first time.
These offenders are not influenced by public ser
vice TV ads, pamphlets, news coverage of fatal
crashes, or presentations by the grieving
families of the victims.
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If common sense and emotional appeals can't stop
these people from drinking and driving, is there
any hope for the safety of our highways, our
citizens, our families? MADD thinks there is. W
e think the answer lies with technology.
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• Scientists, governments and the automobile
  industry are at work building devices into
  vehicles to simply prevent them being operated by
  an impaired driver.
• Steering wheels that detect alcohol through the
  skin.
  
• Software that detects impaired behavior (weaving,
  dozing)
  
• Odor sensors
• Most of these are years away from appearing in
  showrooms. But if they and other promising
  technologies pan out, MADD foresees the eventual
  elimination of drunk driving!

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For now, however, there is one effective
technology that's already available to Hawaii.
It's currently in use in over 100,000 cars on the
mainland, preventing convicted drunk drivers from
drinking and driving again. It's called ignitio
n interlock.
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Ignition interlock is a breath-test device linked
to a vehicle's ignition system. It is installed
under the dashboard, at the driver's expense,
after an arrest for driving under the influence.
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To start their vehicles, drivers must first blow
into the device. The car won't start unless the
driver's alcohol concentration is below a pre-set
level.
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Once underway, drivers are periodically required
to re-test, to make sure they didn't start
drinking following the initial test. A tiny
camera can be added to verify the identity of the
driver. The cost to the convicted driver is about
the same as one drink per day. A special fund is
set up for drivers who can't afford even this
small amount.
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As the technology improves, it's harder and
harder to cheat. Mainland experience shows
interlock is now about 90 effective. That's way
ahead of the current system of license suspension
and revocation. A printout of questions and answe
rs on effectiveness, cheating the system, etc.,
is available following this presentation.
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By the way convicted offenders actually welcome
ignition interlock! Under current law, those conv
icted of DUI are only allowed to drive legally to
and from work and substance abuse treatment,
following an initial license suspension where
they cannot drive at all. But with ignition inte
rlock, they can drive anytime, anywhere, because
we know they're not drinking. This freedom helps
the driver's family, career, and community. And
it's especially beneficial on neighbor islands
and rural areas not well served by public
transportation.
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A generation of studies has shown how effective
ignition interlock is in preventing drunk
driving. In short, it's a win-win situation fo
r Hawaii, which is one of only five remaining
states in the nation with no ignition interlock
law.
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Let's close with a reminder of our dismal
situation. We're worst in the nation in percent
of alcohol-related traffic fatalities. Our
alcohol-related traffic deaths rose to 84 in
2006, after only 43 back in 1999.
Clever ads and persuasive talk aren't working.
These criminals (yes, drunk driving is America's
most frequently-committed violent crime) have to
be physically prevented from taking the wheel.
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Ignition Interlock can go a long way toward doing
just that!
Mahalo!