The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported 10,874 deaths in 2017 caused by drunk driving crashes. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) have a system to rate states according to their drunk driving statistics and state laws implemented. MADD has a 5-star rating method; the stars are allocated for, all-offender interlock law, sobriety checkpoints, license revocation, child endangerment, and no refusal.

All Offender Ignition Interlocks

• Research shows reduce repeat offender by 2/3 and reduce accident fatalities by 15%
• Any given day 2 million drunk drivers are on the road who have had 3 or more prior convictions
• Currently 30 states and Washington D.C. require interlocks for all offenders

Sobriety Checkpoints

• Proven to reduce fatalities by 20%
• Increased threat of getting caught prevents drivers from driving drunk

License Revocation

• Allows agencies to restrict driving privileges or require ignition interlock while an offender awaits trial.
• The legal process can be very lengthy, this allows for an immediate restriction on an offender’s driving privileges

Child Endangerment

• Over half of all children killed in a drunk driving accident are killed while riding with the drunk driver
• 43 states and District of Columbia have laws enhancing penalties for those who drive drunk with a passenger in a vehicle
• The seriousness of the offense varies by state, some consider it a felony and others a misdemeanor

Refusals

• Refusing to be tested for alcohol or drugs should not be a way to evade arrest and prosecution
• About 20% of suspected drunk drivers now refuse a sobriety test
• Many states have implemented laws that punish individuals who refuse to submit to a breathalyzer

Indiana Rating

Indiana is rated 3.5, according to MADD’s 5-star rating. Indiana fails to have a mandatory all offender interlock law; however, Indiana passed a law which requires ignition locks for repeat offenders and allows a judge to order the device for first-time offenders. In 2016, there was 211 annual drunk driving death which was 26 percent of all traffic fatalities.

In order to continue decreasing drunk driving statistics in the U.S., states need stricter laws which discourage drunk driving. Individuals who drive drunk put themselves, their passengers, and others on the road at risk. If you were injured in a car accident by a drunk driver, retain our personal injury attorneys to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.