A collaborative effort between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers could potentially lead to the development of auto safety technology that would greatly reduce the number of drivers under the influence of alcohol on the roads. The four-year-old project, officially titled the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS), is currently working on diagnostic equipment that could be installed into a vehicle’s dashboard. This technology would test a potential driver’s blood alcohol content to determine whether it met the legal safety guidelines. If the would-be driver tested above the legal limits, the vehicle’s ignition system would be disabled.
The technology is being developed faster than originally anticipated. Experiments related to national security that seek to develop methods of detecting specific chemicals and biological entities have helped the DADSS project advance more rapidly, and the measurement equipment hospitals use to observe patient’s blood sugar levels – sensors that can be attached to patients’ fingertips – has proven useful for monitoring blood-alcohol content, as well. Though the project is advancing ahead of schedule, it could be up to a decade before the technology is available at the auto dealership.
As a San Diego car accident attorney, I have seen the damage caused by motorists who attempted to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you have been inured in an auto accident caused by an intoxicated driver, please consider contacting a San Diego personal injury lawyer.