SAFE | Safety and Advocacy for Empowerment

Our leadership joined the nation’s top traffic safety experts gathered at #NASIDconf24 this week in DC to examine the challenges and complexities of multiple substance-impaired driving and to continue building a pathway to understand better ways to save lives on our roadways. #nasid #interlockssavelives Debra Coffey Karen Sisson, Esq. Brandy Nannini Smart Start, Inc. Intoxalock

SAFE was honored to support MADD at its solemn candlelight vigil this evening on the National Mall in our nation’s capital to mourn those who have been killed by impaired drivers. Ten thousand candles were illuminated representing the number of lives we can and must save each year in the U.S.??We join with MADD in calling for the end to this tragic and preventable national epidemic. MADD #transportation #drunkdriving #NHTSA #Congress #NoMoreVictims #impaireddriving #MADD

World Day of Remembrance is held annually to remember those killed in crashes, support those impacted, and act to save lives on roads. Here in the U.S., where the crash death rate is highest among high-income countries, we need to implement proven remedies to combat impaired driving. #ImpairedDriving #technology #enforcement #ignitioninterlocks #WorldDayOfRemembrance #drunkdriving #EndDWI #Congress Brandy Nannini Karen Sisson, Esq. Debra Coffey Smart Start, Inc. Intoxalock

Debra Coffey represented the Safety and Advocacy for Empowerment (SAFE) coalition at the Louisiana Highway Safety Summit in Baton Rouge to participate on a panel “Adventures in Advocacy and Lobbying: A Traffic Safety Policy Panel.” Debra joined Louisiana State Senator Rick Edmonds, MADD Louisiana Executive Director Sunny Wall, Mary Patricia Wray of Top Drawer Strategies, Chuck DeWeese of Responsibility.org and Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Executive Director Lisa Freeman. While in Baton Rouge, Debra and her Smart Start colleague Donna Tate visited the Capitol and met with state legislators. Debra Coffey Donna Tate Chuck DeWeese Mary-Patricia Wray, J.D. Sunny Wall #interlockssavelives #ImpairedDriving #drunkdriving #interlockssavelives #highwaysafety #transportation #transportation #safety

Dear friends in the National Capital Area (DC, Maryland, Virginia). Play it safe this Halloween with #WRAP #SoberRide. Drunk driving is 100% preventable. #NoMoreVictims Intoxalock Smart Start, Inc. MADD Responsibility.org AAA

Starting today, a new Maryland law goes into effect that closes a loophole in the state's drunk driving prevention ignition interlock law. Noah's Law now requires all DUI offenders to participate in the ignition interlock program. Maryland is one of 24 states plus D.C. to enact this model law. As fallen Montgomery County Md. Police Officer Noah Leotta's father, Rich Leotta, said at a news conference celebrating the law: "It's been a long, long journey, and it shouldn't have been." MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart emphasized: "We still have a lot of work to do to make sure every state requires interlock devices beginning with first time offenders." Bipartisan legislation, the End DWI Act (HR 8213), is pending in Congress to require the remaining 26 states to promptly enact this model law to curb drunk driving, which has been on the rise over the past decade. This is the same approach the Congress and President Reagan took when the National Uniform 21 Minimum Drinking Age law was passed in 1984.

Wheaton, Maryland (September 30, 2024) — The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration was joined today by highway safety advocates and state lawmakers to announce the expansion of the Ignition Interlock Law that now requires all DUI offenders to participate in the Ignition Interlock System Program. HB 105 (CH 715), signed into law by Governor Wes Moore, goes into effect tonight at midnight and closes a major loophole in the original law. The Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016, known as Noah’s Law, was passed after Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta was killed in the line of duty by a drunk driver. Since 2016, Noah’s Law has required persons convicted of drunk driving offenses to have an ignition interlock installed in their vehicle. However, under the 2016 law, if an offender was given Probation Before Judgment (PBJ) – which accounts for the outcome of nearly 50% of all drunk driving cases in Maryland – they have not been required to install the ignition interlock device. By closing this loophole, Maryland becomes one of 24 states (including neighboring VA and DE) plus D.C. with a model law requiring ignition interlocks for all drunk driving offenders for a minimum of 180 days and to remain violation-free for a minimum period before the restriction can be removed. Maryland’s “Noah’s Law” now becomes a national model for the 26 remaining states that have fallen short of enacting an optimal ignition interlock law. Impaired driving is 100% preventable. However, over the past five years in Maryland, nearly 800 people were killed and 15,000 were injured in crashes involving drunk drivers. In 2023 alone in Maryland, ignition interlocks prevented more than 76,800 drinking and driving attempts (.02 BAC+), including stopping more than 8,100 drunk driving attempts (.08 BAC+). Interlocks protect the public but still allow drivers with DUIs to continue driving and meeting family and work obligations. Today’s featured speakers included: Christine Nizer, Motor Vehicle Administrator and Governor Moore’s Highway Safety Representative Rich Leotta, Father of fallen Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta Stacey D. Stewart, CEO, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Senator Jeff Waldstreicher, District 18, Judicial Proceedings Committee (Vice Chair) Senator Will Smith, District 20, Judicial Proceedings Committee (Chair) Kurt Erickson, President, Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) # # #

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Wheaton, Maryland (September 30, 2024) — The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration was joined today by highway safety advocates and state lawmakers to announce the expansion of the Ignition Interlock Law that now requires all DUI offenders to participate in the Ignition Interlock System Program. HB 105 (CH 715), signed into law by Governor Wes Moore, goes into effect tonight at midnight and closes a major loophole in the original law. The Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016, known as Noah’s Law, was passed after Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta was killed in the line of duty by a drunk driver. Since 2016, Noah’s Law has required persons convicted of drunk driving offenses to have an ignition interlock installed in their vehicle. However, under the 2016 law, if an offender was given Probation Before Judgment (PBJ) – which accounts for the outcome of nearly 50% of all drunk driving cases in Maryland – they have not been required to install the ignition interlock device. By closing this loophole, Maryland becomes one of 24 states (including neighboring VA and DE) plus D.C. with a model law requiring ignition interlocks for all drunk driving offenders for a minimum of 180 days and to remain violation-free for a minimum period before the restriction can be removed. Maryland’s “Noah’s Law” now becomes a national model for the 26 remaining states that have fallen short of enacting an optimal ignition interlock law. Impaired driving is 100% preventable. However, over the past five years in Maryland, nearly 800 people were killed and 15,000 were injured in crashes involving drunk drivers. In 2023 alone in Maryland, ignition interlocks prevented more than 76,800 drinking and driving attempts (.02 BAC+), including stopping more than 8,100 drunk driving attempts (.08 BAC+). Interlocks protect the public but still allow drivers with DUIs to continue driving and meeting family and work obligations. Today’s featured speakers included: Christine Nizer, Motor Vehicle Administrator and Governor Moore’s Highway Safety Representative Rich Leotta, Father of fallen Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta Stacey D. Stewart, CEO, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Senator Jeff Waldstreicher, District 18, Judicial Proceedings Committee (Vice Chair) Senator Will Smith, District 20, Judicial Proceedings Committee (Chair) Kurt Erickson, President, Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) # # #

It’s been a super productive week in the nation’s capital where three of our board members — Karen Sisson, Esq., Brandy Nannini and Debra Coffey — participated in an ignition interlock symposium at the US Transportation Department’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and then led a congressional briefing at the US Capitol on the End DWI Act (HR 8213), legislation to compel all 50 states to enact an all-drunk driving offender ignition interlock law. Looking forward to joining Maryland MVA, legislators, MADD and other safety advocates on Monday to celebrate the state’s newly expanded model ignition interlock law (Noah’s Law) going into effect. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Smart Start, Inc. Intoxalock National Safety Council National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA #EndDWIact #NoahsLaw #NoahOnPatrol #transportation #technology #drunkdriving #ignitionintrrlock #NoMoreVictims