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New Car System Could Prevent Drunk Driving

Credit: ABC 13 News

It is hard to turn on the news each night without hearing about some accident on the road. 

In many cases, unfortunately, automotive accidents were caused by alcohol. Alcohol impairs people’s judgments and they get behind the wheel without the right frame of mind. 

The Virginia DMV is the first to test out a new system that measures blood-alcohol levels. The system, which looks like a small vent, measures how much alcohol is in a driver’s breath. The driver is required to blow into two sensors before the car can begin to drive. These sensors feature infrared lights that scan a driver’s breath molecules for alcohol. If a blood alcohol level of about 0.08 percent is detected, the car will not move. 

Similar systems have been fitted into cars in the past for drivers with impaired driving records, but DMV officials have stated that this new system could be included in new cars as a safety feature in 2025.  

The DMV stated that parents can set the car not to drive if it detects any alcohol at all, which, for teenage drivers, would be a huge additional safety measure for them. Teenagers make tough decisions all the time, so this would be one that would be taken right out of their hands. This will bring serious peace of mind to all parents. 

This new system could change the landscape of drunk-driving accidents forever. The impact on people’s lives would be immeasurable, putting an end to accidents that shouldn’t have happened in the first place. Safety in vehicles needs to overtake convenience, a mindset that more automotive industries are embracing.

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