Maryland Tests Tech That Could Prevent Drunk Driving
The Maryland Department of Transportation and Governor Larry Hogan recently created Driven to Protect. This public-private partnership is attempting to prevent drunk driving with the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety.
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The potential of DADSS
The partnership launched at the Maryland Association of Counties Summer Conference, which took place in Ocean City this month. It plans to pilot DADSS in eight different vehicles that the Motor Vehicles Administration owns.
Maryland is testing to see if the system could be effective at reducing drunk driving injuries and deaths. DADSS utilizes small sensors that are built within a vehicle’s panels. These sensors measure the alcohol concentration of a driver’s breath. If the level of alcohol exceeds .08 percent, then the system will not let the driver drive the vehicle.
The sensor system can even be programmed to prevent driving at lower alcohol levels. This is great for parents who may want to set the limit to zero for their teen drivers. You can read more about the system in this tweet from the Maryland Department of Transportation Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration:
Maryland is still only the second state, behind Virginia, to pilot the innovative technology. MVA is also piloting digital license plates in a two-year plan. By testing DADSS, the system can be evaluated on the road in real situations. Based on the system’s performance and resistance to wear and tear, it can then can be improved upon as needed.
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If all goes well, you can expect DADSS to be ready for commercialization by 2025. Hopefully, MVA finds that DADSS works well and can help stop drunk drivers and help prevent the tragic deaths caused by drunk driving.
News Source: Technically Media
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