Alisa's Law is the first federal legislation that would push every state to require that all convicted drunk drivers use ignition interlocks to stop them from driving drunk. The bill is in honor of MADD National President Jan Withers' daughter Alisa, whose life was tragically cut short by a drunk driver when she was just 15.
- Personalize the subject line of the message on the right, if you wish.
- Complete the form below with your information.
- Click the Send Message button to send your letter to these decision makers:
Dear Congressman XYZ,
As a strong supporter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, I write today to ask you to cosponsor legislation introduced by Representative Nita Lowey, H.R. 5025, which would encourage states to require ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers.
The legislation is called Alisa's Law and is named after 16-year-old Alisa Joy, the daughter of MADD National President Jan Withers, who was killed due to a drunk driver. The legislation is modeled after the national .08 BAC standard and the national 21 minimum drinking age law. It would push states to pass legislation requiring all convicted drunk drivers to use an ignition interlock device or lose a portion of their federal highway funds.
Ignition interlock laws are a proven solution designed to save lives. While drunk driving deaths have been cut in half since MADD was founded, over 10,000 people are still killed each year due to drunk driving. Each of these deaths is 100 percent preventable.
Over 15 peer reviewed studies show that ignition interlocks reduce DUI recidivism. The Centers for Disease Control and the National Transportation Safety Board have endorsed interlocks for all offenders. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that if the country required interlocks for all drunk drivers, over 1,000 lives each year would be saved. Based on pre-and post-interlock law fatalities and crash rates in the states, it could be more effective.
For years license suspension was the preferred way to punish drunk drivers. Unfortunately, studies prove that 50-75 percent of convicted drunk drivers will continue to drive even on a suspended license. Therefore, license suspension alone is no longer the best way to stop drunk driving.
To date, 24 states have passed all offender ignition interlock laws. Since New Mexico's interlock law was implemented in 2005, drunk driving fatalities are down by 38 percent. Since Arizona and Louisiana implemented their interlock law in 2007, drunk driving deaths have decreased by 43 and 35 percent, respectively. In Oregon, as a result of 2008 interlock law, DUI deaths are down 42 percent. Simply put, these laws work.
Drunk driving also creates an enormous financial burden on the country. Latest figures estimate that drunk driving costs the nation $132 billion each year. Most of these costs are born by the taxpayer. The good news is that interlock laws do not cost law abiding citizens any money. Instead, the drunk driver leases the interlock device for a monthly fee and pays a small fee, usually around $100, to install the device. Thus interlock laws cost the state and taxpayers nothing.
Again, I encourage you to call Representative Lowey and cosponsor Alisa's Law. This legislation could have an enormous impact and save lives.
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2012 DRUNK DRIVING STATISTICS COMPILED BY MADD
DEATHS
|
INJURIES
|
CRASHES
|
ARRESTS
|
CONVICTIONS
|
TAXPAYER SUBSIDY OF FATALITIES $$$
|
|
AL
|
257
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
1.2B
|
AK
|
15
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
96M
|
AZ
|
227
|
3720
|
5428
|
30548
|
NA
|
1.1B
|
AR
|
143
|
NA
|
NA
|
19550
|
NA
|
643M
|
CA
|
802
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
5B
|
CO
|
133
|
NA
|
NA
|
25385
|
NA
|
704M
|
CT
|
85
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
586M
|
DE
|
34
|
739
|
1272
|
5459
|
1767
|
187M
|
FL
|
697
|
12016
|
17199
|
53664
|
28689
|
3.6B
|
GA
|
301
|
5700
|
9041
|
NA
|
32355
|
1.47B
|
HI
|
51
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
372M
|
ID
|
54
|
680
|
880
|
9141
|
10517
|
259M
|
IL
|
321
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
1.67B
|
IN
|
228
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
1.1B
|
IA
|
92
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
441M
|
KS
|
98
|
1622
|
2603
|
NA
|
NA
|
490M
|
KY
|
168
|
2392
|
4664
|
NA
|
19074
|
789M
|
LA
|
241
|
5614
|
8655
|
16385
|
NA
|
1.1B
|
ME
|
49
|
843
|
1196
|
7014
|
4271
|
274M
|
MD
|
160
|
978
|
2474
|
23499
|
NA
|
848M
|
MA
|
123
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
861M
|
MI
|
259
|
5471
|
10014
|
35748
|
16469
|
1.3B
|
MN
|
114
|
2644
|
3837
|
28418
|
21548
|
627M
|
MS
|
179
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
841M
|
MO
|
280
|
3268
|
5256
|
9870
|
5741
|
1.4B
|
MT
|
89
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
436M
|
NE
|
74
|
1209
|
1779
|
10605
|
9528
|
362M
|
NV
|
82
|
NA
|
NA
|
14809
|
NA
|
442M
|
NH
|
32
|
446
|
933
|
NA
|
4920
|
179M
|
NJ
|
164
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
1.1B
|
NM
|
97
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
485M
|
NY
|
344
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
2.4B
|
NC
|
402
|
8486
|
1124
|
NA
|
NA
|
1.96B
|
ND
|
72
|
740
|
7252
|
5820
|
1574
|
352M
|
OH
|
385
|
7386
|
12252
|
24256
|
NA
|
1.8B
|
OK
|
205
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
963M
|
OR
|
86
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
473M
|
PA
|
408
|
8724
|
11956
|
NA
|
NA
|
2.2B
|
RI
|
24
|
98
|
73
|
2533
|
NA
|
153M
|
SC
|
358
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
1.75B
|
SD
|
45
|
721
|
988
|
10487
|
5821
|
220M
|
TN
|
295
|
5542
|
7328
|
25093
|
25930
|
1.3B
|
TX
|
1,296
|
16882
|
25671
|
89256
|
NA
|
6B
|
UT
|
34
|
1043
|
1727
|
12490
|
NA
|
163M
|
VT
|
23
|
345
|
1137
|
NA
|
NA
|
133M
|
VA
|
211
|
5861
|
8777
|
NA
|
28719
|
1B
|
WA
|
145
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
797M
|
WV
|
95
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
NA
|
437M
|
WI
|
200
|
2907
|
5024
|
33579
|
26632
|
1B
|
WY
|
40
|
526
|
971
|
NA
|
NA
|
212M
|
"Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." Elie Wiesel
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