As drunk driving deaths have surged by more than 33% since 2019, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is urging federal officials to accelerate the implementation of the HALT Drunk Driving Law, a landmark mandate passed by Congress in 2021 that would require all new cars to be equipped with life-saving anti-drunk driving technology.
“We know how to stop these tragedies before they happen, and the HALT Drunk Driving Law gives us the tools to do it,” said Isai Fuentes, Regional Program Director for MADD. “Now it’s time for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to finish the job and get this technology into every new vehicle.”
The law—short for Honoring the Abbas Family Legacy to Terminate Drunk Driving Act—was enacted as part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act following decades of advocacy by drunk driving victims and their families. It directs NHTSA to create a new federal motor vehicle safety standard requiring passive technology to prevent impaired driving.
The law was named in memory of the Abbas family—five members from Michigan killed by a drunk driver in 2019–and is considered one of the most significant traffic safety measures in decades. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, implementing the technology could save more than 10,000 lives annually.
Unlike breathalyzers or ignition interlocks, the technologies envisioned under the HALT Act are passive, meaning they operate in the background, without any action required from the driver. These include sensors that can detect alcohol on a driver’s breath, touch-based systems embedded in steering wheels, and cameras that monitor for signs of impairment through eye movement or driver behavior.
In late 2023, NHTSA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and received more than 18,000 public comments. Despite this progress, MADD and its supporters worry that bureaucratic delays could push the timeline beyond the target implementation date set by Congress.
“Every year we delay, more than 13,000 families are left to mourn their loved ones,” Fuentes said. “This is not a political issue — it’s a public safety issue, and the solution is ready.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had pledged during his confirmation hearing to work with Congress to ensure NHTSA has the resources to carry out the law. Meanwhile, automakers are moving forward. General Motors CEO Mary Barra confirmed in December that the industry is working closely with regulators to make the technology a reality. “We’ve been working with regulators on that,” Barra said. “It’s technology that’s coming, and it’s going to be good for everyone.”
The measure is facing headwinds in Congress with Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania proposing the “No Kill Switches in Cars Act” to repeal the mandate, citing concerns about privacy, false positives, and constitutional rights
MADD emphasized that the HALT Act is not about government surveillance or punitive enforcement but prevention. The organization made clear it does not support any system that collects or stores driver data. “This is about stopping drunk driving before a car ever starts moving,” Fuentes said. “It’s about saving lives, not tracking them.”
For more information, visit madd.org/halt.