While sensor technology is not brand new, it has evolved and produces accurate readings. With more precise readings, this high-tech can help save lives. A built-in sensor can scan and act immediately on the information it receives, allowing the vehicle to move or shut down so a driver cannot operate it.
According to a recent report, the United States recorded approximately 10,000 drunk driving deaths every year. While proponents feel this type of monitoring is offensive and intrusive, the rationale for having it is vital for saving lives. The facts speak for themselves; drunk drivers kill innocent people. Sensors can examine a driver’s finger when starting the vehicle and detect blood alcohol levels by sampling the air.
Preparations are being made to begin installing these sensors, and under legislation backed by Congress, monitoring systems to stop intoxicated drivers could be in all new vehicles as early as 2026. Are Americans ready for it?
How Would DUI Drivers Be Detected With Sensor Technology
The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) uses two kinds of technology; the first captures a driver’s breath, pulling it into a sensor. A beam of infrared light calculates your blood alcohol concentration. The second is a touch system snugged into a car’s start button or the gear shift. Tiny lasers beam light onto a finger, and the system reads the alcohol level below the skin’s surface. The driver is not required to do anything.
This technology’s main challenge is making sure the blood alcohol content measurement is accurate and precise. It would take less than half a second, or 325 milliseconds, to measure and make a judgment to start and go or not go.
Over the decade of development, the sensors have become smaller and more accurate. Sensors may soon be licensed for installation into commercial fleet vehicles, followed by the trucking industry, public buses, and taxi rides. Another hope is that every passenger car built within the next few years will have a sensor.
Contact An Experienced AR Car Accident Lawyer Today
While this technology can save lives, there is backlash about having it in vehicles from the American Beverage Institute (ABI), indicating they do not feel the sensors would work perfectly. They think it could still result in drunk drivers driving because the sensor detection ability may not always be accurate. Perhaps the real issue will ultimately become “If you drink anything at all, even one drink, don’t drive.”
Driving while impaired is a recurring problem in most states. Despite education campaigns, the problem persists. There is nothing worse than receiving a phone call from the police to find out someone you care about has seriously been injured or killed.
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed due to being in a crash with a drunk driver, do not hesitate to call our office. At the Law Office of Jason M. Hatfield, we are here to help you navigate the fallout. We can advise you of your legal rights, explain how to file a lawsuit, how the process works, and the outcome, and help you file a wrongful death lawsuit if you lost a loved one.