Will MAP-21 Make It Impossible to Drive Drunk?

Readers offended by foul language may want to mute the video above, which shows a drunk driver crashing into oncoming traffic in Cocoa Beach. According to the YouTube user who uploaded the video on July 31, 2012, the individual fleeing the scene was a passenger in the SUV and was trying to dispose of a rum bottle.

While there have been countless public awareness campaigns dedicated to the dangers and legal consequences of driving under the influence, drunk drivers continue to be a problem throughout Florida and across the nation. However, when Congress approved the federal transportation bill on June 29 and President Barack Obama signed it into law on August 6, the legislation authorized funding for a program that could essentially make this crime impossible to commit.

The New York Times reported on July 12, 2012, that the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) bill not only provides incentives for states that develop programs aimed at deterring drunken driving, but also “provides financing for the development of less intrusive methods of alcohol detection and the prevention of driving under the influence.” One such program is the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS), which automatically checks a driver's blood-alcohol level and, if the level is above the legal limit, prevents the car from starting.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) president Jan Withers told the Times in an email statement, “MAP-21 is an historic opportunity to advance highway safety because we now have Congressional approval on a blueprint for our nation to eliminate drunk driving.”

MADD says that someone is injured in a drunk driving accident every 90 seconds, and someone is killed in a drunk driving crash every 52 minutes. As MADD says, this is an “entirely preventable crime.” There is more information about some of the types of traumatic injuries these collisions cause available on our website. If you or a loved one has sustained serious injuries in a traffic crash caused by a drunk driver, you can fill out the form located on this page or you can contact our firm at (800) 235-7060 to have our Orlando personal injury lawyers review your case.