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Press Releases


House Transportation Bill Eliminates States’ Authority on Interlock Use and Will Cost Over $432 mill

American Beverage Institute Says Congressional Interlock Mandate is the First Step Toward Getting In
 January 31, 2012
WASHINGTON – Today the American Beverage Institute (ABI), which represents over eight thousand of America’s favorite family restaurants, denounced the House Transportation Reauthorization Bill which would require that all 50 states mandate ignition interlocks – in-car breathalyzers – as punishment for low-BAC (blood alcohol concentration) first-time DUI offenders. Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a press conference about this bill today at 3:00pm.

Restaurant Group Urges Pennsylvania to Reject Costly Interlock Expansion

ABI Says Mandate is the First Step in Campaign to Put Interlocks in All Cars
 October 18, 2011
WASHINGTON – Today the American Beverage Institute (ABI), a restaurant trade association representing over 240 Pennslyvnia restaurants, urged legislators to reject S 1184, which would mandate the installation of breathalyzers in the cars of all drunk drivers – even low-BAC (blood alcohol concentration), first-time offenders. The bill is being considered today at 10 AM in the Senate Transportation Committee. ABI urged lawmakers to amend the bill to include only first-time offenders with BACs greater than .15 percent and repeat offenders.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving Receives Another "D" from Charity Rating Guide

Costly Fundraising Practices and Lack of Attention to Victim Services Earn MADD Low Grade
 August 24, 2011
WASHINGTON – The American Institute of Philanthropy’s (AIP) Charity Rating Guide & Watchdog Report has given Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) a “D” rating on a A-F scale in its August 2011 report.

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In the News


Steering Hill leaders to drunken-driver devices

The Washington Times
July 10, 2011
As House leaders prepare to roll out a massive six-year highway funding bill, among the many interests watching with anticipation are a handful of businesses that have pressed for a requirement that could take them from cottage industry to multimillion-dollar market overnight.

Ore. Restaurants Urge Interlock Rule Veto

KTVZ
July 7, 2011
SALEM, Ore. -- The American Beverage Institute, a restaurant trade group representing over 50 Oregon restaurants, urged Governor Kitzhaber Thursday to veto HB 3075, which would mandate the installation of breathalyzers in the cars of all drunk drivers – even low-BAC (blood alcohol concentration), first-time offenders.

Distracted driving riskier than drinks

South Florida Sun-Sentinel
December 14, 2010
It's time for the annual office holiday party. John has a couple of beers to celebrate, then hits the road. Pulling out of the parking lot, he called up Facebook and Twitter on his voice-activated dash to see what his friends were up to. Discovering that they were getting together for some late-night hijinks, he made a hands-free cell phone call to see where the action was. After making plans, he texted his wife to let her know he'd be home late. And when he saw he was running behind, he decided to go 15 mph over the speed limit to make it on time.

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Letters to the Editor & Op-Eds


Big brother in the backseat

By: Sarah Longwell
 The Hill
August 31, 2010
It's classic bait and switch. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) claims that his ROADS SAFE Act—which authorizes a $60 million taxpayer investment in a government program to further develop sophisticated in-vehicle technology that would keep a car from starting if the driver’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level was above a pre-set limit—is all about stopping drunk drivers. This sounds like an excellent idea. After all, who doesn’t want to get dangerous drunk drivers off the road? That’s the bait. Here’s the switch: This taxpayer-funded federal program, known as DADSS (Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety), is actually developing alcohol detection technology to come as standard equipment in all cars.

Give judges discretion in drunk-driving cases

Washington Post
April 8, 2010
The Post’s devotion to mandatory minimum sentences in DUI cases is puzzling [“Coddling drunk drivers,” editorial, March 30], considering that a week earlier its editorial board argued against mandatory minimums for crack cocaine possession, praising a new bill for giving “judges a greater degree of discretion” in sentencing low-level drug offenders [“Fairness in sentencing,” editorial, March 23].

MADD's interlock proposal lumps all drinkers in same category

Tennessean
February 18, 2010
This week, Mothers Against Drink Driving (MADD) voiced support for a bill to require ignition interlocks for all drunken driving offenders in Tennessee. And while at first glance it might seem like a good way to get drunks off the road, readers should know that there is an important argument to be made against the mandatory use of these devices in the cars of all offenders.

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