Mandatory Breathalyzers on Car Ignitions Could Save Thousands of Lives
Published at
Feverpitched/iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Researchers say placing breathalyzers on car ignitions could save thousands of lives.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Public Health, the implementation of mandatory alcohol ignition interlock devices would prevent up to 85,000 crash fatalities and over 84 percent of non-fatal injuries attributed to drunk driving.
To do so, researchers from the University of Michigan looked at the number of alcohol-related crashes that were preventable with such a device in vehicles less than one year old. They then repeated the analysis for subsequent years assuming a 15-year implementation.
The results, 85 percent prevention, are striking. They would also save an estimated $342 billion in injury-related costs, researchers claim.
The study does not, however, take into account the cost of the devices and how popular or unpopular the implementation of mandatory interlock devices would be.
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.