NTSB’s Newest Recommendations Overlook Alcohol-Dependent Drivers

On Tuesday the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a special investigation report on fatal wrong-way driving crashes on limited-access highways. The study found that approximately 260 fatal wrong-way collisions occur each year in the United States and alcohol-impaired driving was their leading cause.

As a result of the report NTSB issued 16 safety recommendations, several of which specifically target the alcohol-impaired driver. NTSB recommends that all first-time driving while intoxicated (DWI) offenders, meaning those convicted of DWI, be required to have alcohol ignition interlock devices installed on their personal vehicles. Seventeen states already require interlocks for first-time offenders.

The NTSB also strongly endorses the continued development of the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS) program, a passive alcohol-detection technology for automobiles. DADDS would prevent alcohol-impaired individuals from operating their vehicles by detecting alcohol in the driver’s system through breath- and touch-based sensors.

Both of the recommended technologies are great, but the focus continues to be on stopping the car from driving rather than stopping the alcohol-dependent individual from drinking.

While very recent research shows interlocks impact recidivism for first-time offenders, research for decades has proven the technology has no impact on recidivism for repeat, hardcore drunk drivers. Repeat DWI offenders cause the most carnage on our nation’s roadways, and the vast majority of these individuals are alcohol-dependent. These people, our loved ones, need help to stop drinking and get sober, not for a moment in time but long enough to begin to feel the benefits of sobriety.

NTSB’s recommendations don’t address the alcohol-dependent DWI offender who will continually drink and drive if not sober. It is my hope that our nation’s leaders will begin to more thoroughly review the research on alcohol dependence so even better countermeasures can be deployed to reduce alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. Despite our best efforts these fatalities remain at 31% of all traffic fatalities for a reason.