Delaware is now the 24th state in the country to make ignition interlock devices mandatory for all convicted drunk drivers.
Governor Jack Markell signed the bill into law Tuesday afternoon at AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Wilmington headquarters.
Anyone found guilty of driving under the influence will have the ignition interlock installed in their vehicle and have to breathe a clean sample into the device to operate it.
National Transportation Safety Board deputy director of communications Sharon Bryson says making ignition locks mandatory for even first-time offenders helps decrease the DUI recidivism rate.
“The sooner that people are prevented from driving while they’re under the influence, the less likely they are to be repeat offenders," said Bryson. "And that’s ultimately the goal is to change the behavior of driving a vehicle when you’re intoxicated.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving CEO Debbie Weir says that the devices effectively keep drunk drivers off the road while allowing DUI offenders to safely carry on with their lives.
“They get to be productive. They get to earn a living for their families, they get to have family activities together and they can still drive. But they need to prove they are sober to be able to drive,” said Weir.
Weir adds the device could be standard in vehicles in the near future – which she feels could effectively eliminate drunk driving.
State police reported that in 2013 43 people - nearly half of those involved in all fatal crashes - were killed in DUI-related accidents.
