Impact of State Ignition Interlock Laws on Alcohol-Involved Crash Deaths in the United States.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the impact on alcohol-involved crash deaths of universal ignition interlock requirements, which aim to prevent people convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol from driving while intoxicated.

METHODS

We used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 1999 to 2013. From 2004 to 2013, 18 states made interlocks mandatory for all drunk-driving convictions. We compared alcohol-involved crash deaths between 18 states with and 32 states without universal interlock requirements, accounting for state and year effects, and for clustering within states.

RESULTS

Policy impact was apparent 3 years after implementation. The adjusted rate of alcohol-involved crash deaths was 4.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.0, 5.4) per 100,000 in states with the universal interlock requirement, compared with 5.5 (95% CI = 5.48, 5.53) in states without, an absolute reduction of 0.8 (95% CI = 0.1, 1.5) deaths per 100,000 per year.

CONCLUSIONS

Requiring ignition interlocks for all drunk-driving convictions was associated with 15% fewer alcohol-involved crash deaths, compared with states with less-stringent requirements. Interlocks are a life-saving technology that merit wider use.