Reps. Gillen, Lawler, Dingell Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Drunk Driving Fatalities and Support Law Enforcement

GARDEN CITY, NY - Representatives Laura Gillen (D-NY-04), Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) introduced the Drunk Driving Prevention and Enforcement Act. This bipartisan effort takes significant steps to prevent impaired driving and save lives by combining technology, support for law enforcement and data-driven solutions to prevent tragedies caused by impaired driving. 

This bill will:

1. Direct the Secretary of Transportation to award a cash prize to help implement the HALT Drunk Driving Law, which directed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a rule mandating advanced impaired driving prevention technology in all new vehicles—a life-saving measure that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) estimates could prevent more than 10,000 deaths annually.
2. Establish a Traffic Safety Enforcement Center of Excellence at NHTSA to provide leadership and technical assistance to States and law enforcement agencies to identify and implement efficient, effective approaches to traffic safety enforcement of hazardous driving behaviors, to reduce fatalities and injuries on our roads.
3. Establish a National Drug-Involved Crash Data Collection System to collect toxicology data and award grants to states to set up labs and collect data.

“Each day, 34 American families lose a loved one to a drunk driving crash,” said Representative Gillen. “Drunk driving remains the leading cause of death on our highways and far too many Long Island families know the pain of a life cut short. I’m proud to lead this long-overdue, bipartisan effort to require life-saving technology in new vehicles, strengthen state and local enforcement and create the first national system to collect drug-involved crash data so we can better understand and address emerging threats on our roads.”

“Drunk driving is one of the leading killers on American roads, with deaths up 22% since 2019 and someone is harmed by it every 85 seconds. By incentivizing the auto industry to install life-saving anti-drunk driving technology and strengthening traffic safety enforcement, this legislation directly confronts a public safety threat that has taken far too many lives,” said Representative Lawler.

“No family should lose a loved one to drunk and impaired driving,” said Representative Dingell. “I led the fight to get the HALT Drunk Driving Act signed into law, requiring life-saving technology in all vehicles. Now, I’m proud to work with Congresswoman Gillen to enhance road safety through critical measures, such as ensuring this technology is in vehicles, establishing a national drug testing system to deter impaired driving and strengthening traffic safety enforcement. Passing the law isn’t enough and these measures must be enforced. NHTSA must act on its Congressional directive without delay. Together, we can work to make our roads safer and prevent further unnecessary tragedies.”

"No family should have to endure the lifelong trauma caused by the violent and 100% preventable crime of drunk driving," said MADD National Ambassador Erica Linn, a New York resident whose parents, Henrietta and Carmelo Sbezzi, were killed by a drunk driver on Erica’s 50th birthday. "MADD commends Congresswoman Gillen, Congressman Lawler and Congresswoman Dingell for working to advance deployment of anti-drunk driving technology that will save over 10,000 lives every year when it's built into all new cars, and for proposing improved data collection on drug-impaired driving along with other critical resources to support law enforcement’s DUI prevention efforts." 

“Impaired drivers are responsible for roughly one-third of all traffic deaths each year, and alcohol remains the leading contributor,” said Jake Nelson, Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research, AAA. “With cannabis and other drugs adding to this already devastating problem, this legislation gives the U.S. a real opportunity to focus on actual solutions. By improving data, advancing in-vehicle technology and strengthening how law enforcement resources are used on our roads, we can make meaningful progress in reducing impaired-driving deaths."

"Drunk driving continues to be a leading killer on our roadways. The bipartisan leadership of Reps. Laura Gillen (D-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) to advance solutions in the Drunk Driving Prevention and Enforcement Act is key to ending these preventable deaths on our roadways,” said Cathy Chase, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. “Impaired driving prevention technology, support for law enforcement to deter hazardous driving and improved data collection are a life-saving combination and build on the success of the HALT Law. Advocates is proud to endorse this measure alongside our safety partners. We urge Congress to swiftly pass this legislation." 

“CADCA strongly supports this bipartisan legislation to accelerate life-saving impaired-driving prevention technology and strengthen traffic safety nationwide,” said General Barrye L. Price, President & CEO, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. “Every community deserves roads free from impaired driving and this bill takes smart, decisive steps to make that a reality. We are proud to stand with our national partners and local coalitions working to build safer, healthier communities and we commend Representatives Gillen, Lawler and Dingell, along with MADD and AAA, for advancing solutions that will save lives.”

“The Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations commends efforts to reduce drunk driving incidents with the integration of passive, advanced anti-drunk driving in-vehicle technology into all new passenger motor vehicles and applauds the introduction of this legislation. We appreciate Representative Gillen's emphasis on the importance of forensic toxicology testing in DUI enforcement and prosecution. To effectively address this issue, forensic scientists need resources to standardize testing and reporting, access to advanced instrumentation, and improved toxicology data sharing across the country. Understanding trends and prevalence of drug and alcohol use on highways is essential to address the tragic impacts on individuals and families caused by DUI offenders,” said Matthew Gamette, Chairman, Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations.

“We are longstanding supporters of bold, innovative approaches to reduce crashes and save lives,” said Chris Swonger, President and CEO, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) and Responsibility.org. “We applaud this effort to utilize commonsense, non-invasive technology, paired with giving law enforcement the tools they need, to stop would-be drunk drivers. We also appreciate efforts to address multi-substance impaired driving, which is a growing risk on our nation’s roads. We cannot wait any longer. We must take action to solve impaired driving now." 

"We applaud Representatives Gillen, Lawler, and Dingell for their leadership on the Drunk Driving Prevention and Enforcement Act," said Amy Cohen, Founder & President, Families for Safe Streets. "Families for Safe Streets members know the heartbreak of losing a loved one to traffic violence. By incentivizing the adoption of advanced impaired driving prevention technology, enhancing traffic safety enforcement, and improving data collection on drug-involved crashes, this legislation takes crucial steps to prevent others from experiencing that same pain. Every year, thousands of deaths could be prevented with these measures, and we are proud to support this bipartisan effort to protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike.”

“Impaired driving remains one of the most persistent and preventable threats on our roads,” said Jonathan Adkins, CEO, Governors Highway Safety Association. “The Drunk Driving Prevention and Enforcement Act takes a comprehensive approach to addressing the issue by pairing proven traffic safety enforcement with the next generation of vehicle technology designed to stop drunk driving before it starts. By accelerating the implementation of the HALT Drunk Driving Law and empowering law enforcement agencies to stop dangerous driving behaviors, this bill takes a critical step toward ending drunk driving and reducing roadway deaths nationwide.” 

"The Institute for Safer Trucking and Road Safe America supports the Drunk Driving Prevention and Enforcement Act. This bipartisan bill builds on the HALT Act to save lives, strengthen enforcement, and close critical safety data gaps,” said Jennifer Walsh, Principal, Institute for Safer Trucking.“Together, these measures have the potential to save lives, protect all road users, and ensure that states and law enforcement have the tools they need to keep our roads safe. We urge Congress to include this legislation in the surface transportation reauthorization bill."

“This Act represents a sophisticated, evidence-based and data-driven approach to reducing tragedies caused by intoxicated drivers,” said Diana Fishbein, President, National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives. “It’s a smart and technologically capable way to ensure the safety of all drivers—both other drivers and pedestrians who are at the mercy of impaired drivers and the drunk drivers themselves, whose families suffer. I strongly advise Congress to take this action.”

“Every day, loved ones are lost to the devastating consequences of drunk driving. These tragedies are not inevitable — they are entirely preventable. The National Safety Council applauds Representatives Gillen, Lawler and Dingell for their bipartisan leadership to prevent drunk driving,” said Lorraine Martin, CEO, National Safety Council. “The Drunk Driving Prevention and Enforcement Act is a common-sense measure that complements the Safe System Approach to achieve zero traffic deaths. Through a combination of technology, traffic safety enforcement and data, the bill harnesses proven solutions to ensure that no more lives are needlessly lost from drunk driving." 

“We stand with public health and safety advocates to support legislation that enables NHTSA to advance technology innovations and enforcement efforts to reduce preventable crashes due to drunk, drugged, drowsy and distracted forms of impaired driving,” said the National Sleep Foundation.  

“One of Responsibility.org’s core missions is to eliminate drunk driving and to work with others to eliminate all forms of impaired driving. This bill gets to the heart of addressing impaired driving on our nation’s roads,” said Leslie Kimball, Executive Director, Responsibility.org. “Incentivizes the use of innovative technology in vehicles that could ultimately save lives, bolsters law enforcement’s efforts to catch impaired drivers and prevent recidivism and prioritizes essential countermeasures addressing drugged driving that help us all understand the scope of the issue. Thank you to Representatives Gillen, Lawler and Dingell for your leadership.” 

“Safe Night LLC is proud to support the Drunk Driving Prevention and Enforcement Act because this legislation moves us beyond reactive responses and empowers the community to work together as allies in prevention,” said Molly Mastoras, President, Safe Night LLC.

This bill has been endorsed by: Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), American Automobile Association (AAA), Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations, American Society of Crime Lab Directors (ASCLD), American Academy of Forensic Science, National Association of Medical Examiners, International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners, Society of Forensic Toxicologists, American Board of Toxicologists, the International Association for Identification, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), National Prevention Science Coalition to Improve Lives, National Safety Council, National Sleep Foundation, Responsibility.org, Safe Kids Worldwide, Society for Public Health Education, Stopdistractions.org, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Truck Safety Coalition, Institute for Safer Trucking, Association for Safe International Road Travel, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, Governors Highway Safety Association. 

###