As the United States celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age-21 Law today, there’s a renewed push to combat drunk driving with modern technology.
This milestone law, signed on July 17, 1984 by President Ronald Reagan, raised the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 and has saved thousands of lives by reducing alcohol-related traffic fatalities. Now, advocates are urging the government to take the next step by implementing passive in-vehicle technology to prevent drunk driving.
The Minimum Legal Drinking Age-21 Law, championed by then-U.S. Transportation Secretary Elizabeth Dole and victims and survivors from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), has been a critical factor in decreasing drunk driving deaths among young people. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this law saves around 800 to 900 lives each year.
“Raising the drinking age to 21 was a monumental achievement that has had a lasting impact on road safety,” says Stacey D. Stewart, CEO of MADD. “However, the fight against drunk driving is far from over. We must continue to innovate and implement new technologies to save even more lives.”
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the “Honoring the Abbas Family Legacy to Terminate (HALT) Drunk Driving Act” into law. This groundbreaking legislation requires all new vehicles to be equipped with lifesaving technology that uses sensors to passively determine if the person behind the wheel is illegally impaired.
“The HALT Act represents a pivotal step forward in our efforts to ultimately end drunk driving,” Stewart explains. “This technology has the potential to save 10,000 lives and prevent countless injuries annually once fully implemented.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is tasked with establishing regulations for this technology by November 15, 2024. Once these regulations are in place, automakers will have a few years to integrate the technology into their new vehicles.
Earlier this year, the USDOT and NHTSA published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, inviting feedback from various stakeholders, including the auto industry, technology companies, and public safety advocates.
“The response from the public and industry has been overwhelmingly supportive,” Stewart notes. “It’s clear that there is a strong desire for these lifesaving measures to be implemented as quickly as possible.”
Despite the progress, drunk driving remains a leading cause of death on U.S. roads. In 2022, more than 13,000 people lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes, a 33% increase since 2019. Advocates stress the importance of not delaying the implementation of this technology, as every day without it means more lives are at risk.
“Every 39 minutes, someone dies in a drunk driving crash in the U.S.,” Stewart says. “These aren’t just statistics. They’re real people whose lives are cut short by a preventable crime. Technology can stop this, and we need to act now.”
As the November 2024 deadline approaches, all eyes are on the USDOT and NHTSA to finalize the safety standard. Advocates are urging the government to prioritize this lifesaving technology and ensure it is implemented without delay.
“The legacy of the Minimum Legal Drinking Age-21 Law shows us that strong, decisive action can save lives and prevent injuries,” Stewart says. “We have an opportunity to build on that legacy and make drunk driving a crime of the past. The time to act is now.”
