Luján Applauds NHTSA Taking First Step to End Drunk Driving

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) joined Deputy Secretary of Transportation Polly Trottenberg and Acting Administrator Ann Carlson of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to announce the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) to install impaired driving prevention technology in all new passenger vehicles after 2026. Today’s announcement begins implementation of the HALT/RIDE Act, which Senator Luján championed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s commitment to highway safety.

“This advance notice is a key step to eliminating impaired driving, which will save thousands of lives every year,” said Luján. “Driver safety technology is more sophisticated today than ever before, and it’s time for NHTSA and automakers to invest in impaired driving prevention technology to get this done. I look forward to continuing to work with the Biden administration, advocates, industry partners, and my colleagues in the House and Senate to enact a final rule by the statutory deadline next year.”

“HALT was signed into law over two years ago. It is incomprehensible to me that the implementation of available technology, which saves lives, continues to be debated. Nearly 40 people are killed by drunk drivers every day on our roadways, and yet, we know technology can stop this,” said Rana Abbas Taylor, on behalf of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Her sister Rima, brother-in-law Issam and their children, Ali, Isabella and Giselle were killed by a drunk driver. “On behalf of my family and victims and survivors who fought for this, we urge NHTSA to expedite this new safety standard so that no family has to experience the anguish we have. This is a matter of life and death for thousands of families across the nation, and I’m grateful to Representative Debbie Dingell and Senator Ben Ray Luján for leading this effort.”

Approximately 13,400 roadway fatalities involved the use of alcohol in 2021. The Reduce Impaired Driving for Everyone (RIDE) / Honoring Abbas Family Legacy to Terminate (HALT) Drunk Driving Act was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which requires auto manufacturers to include advanced drunk and impaired driving prevention technology in new car models after 2026. NHTSA is required by law to issue a final federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) by November 15, 2024. Senator Luján spoke this morning at the Department of Transportation to highlight the importance of this announcement.

A recording of today’s announcement is available from the Department of Transportation here. 

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