Despite legislative efforts by the government and widespread public awareness campaigns, drunk driving remains a huge problem across the United States and some experts think more could be done to prevent fatal crashes involving alcohol. While the overall number of people killed in drunk driving accidents has decreased over the last several decades, according to the Washington Post, approximately one-third of accident deaths today are still alcohol-related.
2015 saw 10,265 deaths from alcohol-related crashes and that number represents a 3.2 percent increase from the prior year. While the improving economy has contributed to there being more cars on the road, which in turns leads to more traffic fatalities, drunk driving is still a problem and a preventable one at that.
Experts agree that requiring drunk drivers to install ignition interlocks will help prevent many of these fatal accidents from occurring and there is data to back that up. An ignition interlock works by requiring the driver to blow into a device and if any alcohol is detected, preventing the car from starting. While every state in the country mandates the use of ignition interlocks, the circumstances under which they are required is not uniform. Some states require them only for offenders with exceedingly high blood alcohol content or people with multiple convictions, while other states require them for all first time offenders.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving advocates for use of ignition interlocks for all first time offenders. In Georgia, ignition interlocks are currently required for second and subsequent offenders only, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.