The danger posed by intoxicated driving simply cannot be underestimated. Anyone who gets behind the wheel after they’ve consumed alcohol is putting themselves, the other occupants of the automobile, and everyone they share the road with in danger.
For a long time, there was no way to impede drunk driving other than to raise awareness about the issue and enact severe penalties that could be assessed against those who broke drunk driving laws. But with technology progressing rapidly, there are now solutions being worked on that have the potential to dramatically reduce instances of intoxication.
A new report highlights the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s continued investment into systems that go beyond the standard ignition interlock device, which works by way of breathing into a tube and is usually only given to those persons who have already been convicted of a drunk driving offense.
The new systems are thought to be more effective as well as far more passive. The breath detector currently being mulled would serve to determine the Blood Alcohol Content of the driver and only the driver just by them getting behind the wheel, and if an unacceptable level is deduced, the vehicle wouldn’t start. The second works by way of touch; a person could try to start the car, for instance, and when they make contact with the starter, the system could detect BAC through the skin.