Governor Reynolds Signs Drunk Driving Reform Bill

DES MOINES (April 11, 2018) — Today, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a drunk driving reform bill that will require all first-time convicted drunk driving offenders to have an ignition interlock installed on their vehicle as a condition of receiving a temporary restricted license, or “work permit.” The new law supported by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) makes Iowa the 32nd state with an ignition interlock law for all drunk driving offenders.

“Iowa now joins 31 other states and Washington, D.C. in recognizing that ignition interlock technology is needed — after the first offense — to stop the horrendous tragedies caused by the leading killer on our roads,” said MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church. “Time and again, we help grieving victims who have lost a loved one in a crash caused by a repeat drunk driving offender. There’s no excuse for this, and we know that the only way to stop someone intent on driving drunk is to literally block their vehicle from starting.” 

Ignition interlocks require drivers to blow into the device before their vehicle will start. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all-offender interlock laws reduce drunk driving recidivism by 67 percent. A new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found interlocks reduce the number of impaired drivers in fatal crashes by 16 percent.

“The evidence supporting ignition interlocks just keeps stacking up, which is why MADD is continuing our national movement to pass all-offender ignition interlock laws in all 50 states,” Sheehey-Church said. “We are proud to add Iowa to the growing list of states with this lifesaving law.”

Also today, MADD released an annual accounting of drunk driving attempts prevented by ignition interlocks. Across the nation, ignition interlocks stopped 354,372 drunk driving attempts in 2017 alone, and nearly 2.69 million over the past 11 years.

For more information on ignition interlocks, visit madd.org/interlock.

About Mothers Against Drunk Driving Founded in 1980 by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to end drunk driving, help fight drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes and prevent underage drinking. MADD has helped to save more than 350,000 lives, reduce drunk driving deaths by more than 50 percent and promote designating a non-drinking driver. MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving® calls for law enforcement support, ignition interlocks for all offenders and advanced vehicle technology. MADD has provided supportive services to nearly one million drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge through local victim advocates and the 24-Hour Victim Help Line 1-877-MADD-HELP. Visit www.madd.org or call 1-877-ASK-MADD.

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