US Agency Moves Towards Mandating Alcohol Breath Tests in Vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated the process of drafting a new safety standard that could require all new passenger vehicles to be equipped with alcohol breath tests. The proposed regulation aims to prevent drunk and impaired driving by ensuring drivers are not too impaired to operate a vehicle safely. The NHTSA is currently engaged in research with automakers to develop technology that can detect a driver's blood alcohol content without requiring them to blow into a sensor. The agency is also interested in exploring technology to detect drowsy and distracted driving. In 2021, 13,384 people were killed in drunk driving crashes.