Technology Stopping Drunk Drivers Could Save 59K Lives

Devices that prevent drunk driving could save tens of thousands of lives.

At least that’s what researchers at the University of Michigan’s Injury Center and Transportation Research Institute believe. According to a study conducted there, technology that prevents drunk drivers from starting a vehicle could save 59,000 lives and $343 million over 15 years. Unfortunately, that statistic assumes every vehicle in the U.S. is equipped with the device. The study also shows that cost savings from widespread use of ignition interlock technology could outweigh the expense after three years.

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Ignition interlock technology is nothing new, in fact it’s been around since the 1960s and is mandatory in some states for convicted drunk drivers. The device prevents a vehicle from being started if a driver’s breath registers a certain amount of alcohol. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drunk driving-related deaths declined 23 percent in the last decade with 10,076 people dying in 2013.

[Source: Bloomberg]