• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Monitech Ignition Interlock Systems

Monitech Ignition Interlock

North Carolina's leading Ignition Interlock provider

  • Interlock Basics
    • What is an Interlock
    • Interlock Cost
    • Special Offers
    • Interlock Videos
  • Locations
    • Service Centers
  • Partners
    • Refer A Client
    • Attorneys
    • Counselors
  • Customer Support
    • Contact Monitech Ignition Interlock
    • About
    • Refer A Friend
    • FAQs
    • Reviews
    • Mechanic Code Request
    • Blog
  • 800-521-4246

Drunk Drivers and Child Passengers

June 6, 2014 by Editorial Staff

Today’s post comes to us from fellow ignition interlock provider Lifesafer.

Summer is fast approaching, and statistics show that when the weather turns warm there are more drunk drivers on the road. Although there are strict penalties in place for drinking drivers who are arrested with children under the age of 16 in the their vehicles, there is still a high incidence of children involved in drunk driving crashes.

You may automatically think that children killed in drunk driving crashes are the victims of the driver of another vehicle, but a new study has shown that the drinking driver who causes the crash is often the driver of the vehicle with children aboard. A study done by Chicago pediatrician Dr.Kyran Quinlan revealed that two-thirds of the time, if child passengers are killed in an alcohol related crash, it’s as a passenger in the vehicle driven by a drunk driver.

The study looked at U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data for children who met the criteria of being under the age of 15 and involved in a fatal DUI crash. There were 2,344 drunk driving crashes that occurred between the years 2001 and 2010. In over 1,500 of those crashes, the child was a passenger of the the drunk driver. The researchers also found that two-thirds of the children involved in these crashes were not wearing seat belts, and South Dakota and New Mexico had the highest rates of children dying in alcohol related crashes.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) would like to see all states pass a drunk driving law that makes DUI with a child passenger a felony offense, and they’d also like to require an ignition interlock device for those who are convicted.

Although some states have harsh DUI penalties should the drunk driver be caught driving under the influence with a child in the vehicle, this study shows the need to step up that effort and require all states to crack down on those who choose to drink and drive with children.

Category: General Information, TechnologyTag: MADD, NHTSA

About Editorial Staff

The editorial staff is a group of writers and contributors with wide-ranging areas of expertise. The editorial staff provides news and analysis of topics that are focused on community and driver safety.

Previous Post: « Walk Like MADD – Who Do You Walk For?
Next Post: Dangers of Stoned Driving in Colorado »

Free First Month

Call a North Carolina expert now at 800-521-4246 to claim your Free First Month!

Call Today
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

Call Toll-Free

800-521-4246

Interlock Basics

What Is An Interlock

Interlock Cost

Interlock Videos

Locations

Service Centers

Partners

Refer A Client

Attorneys

Counselors

Customer Support

About

Refer A Friend

FAQs

Reviews

Mechanic Code Request

Blog

News

Copyright © 2023 Monitech, LLC.

Customer Support · Contact · ISO Certification