Partners Join Together to Highlight the Strengthening of Maryland’s Ignition Interlock Program

Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration
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For video of the press event, click here.

Drunk Driving Reduction Act Honors the Life and Service of Officer Noah Leotta

WHEATON, MD (September 30, 2024)- Sixty percent of the more than 10,000 DUI/DWI offenders in 2023 received a probation before judgment, resulting in 6,000 individuals who were not required to install an ignition interlock system in their vehicle. Starting October 1, a new law signed by Governor Wes Moore last May, will require all impaired driving offenders, with probation, to have the ignition interlock requirement installed in their vehicle.

Earlier today, the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration joined state legislators, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Washington Regional Alcohol Program, Responsibility.org, and the family of Montgomery County Police Officer Noah Leotta to highlight the strengthened ignition interlock law that will make Maryland's roads safer for all.

The Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016, known as Noah's Law, was passed after Officer Leotta was killed in the line of duty by a drunk driver. Noah's Law requires a person convicted of alcohol-related driving offenses to have an ignition interlock system installed in their vehicle. However, if an offender was given a probation before judgment, they were not obligated to install the ignition interlock system. "As the Senate bill sponsor, I am honored to have worked alongside so many families to strengthen Maryland's ignition interlock law," said State Senator Jeff Waldstreicher (D-District 18), who serves as vice chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. "This legislation, taking effect on October 1st, will undoubtedly save the lives of Marylanders."

"I am so proud of the work of our advocates, partners and legislators for coming together to strengthen Noah's Law and help achieve the goal we originally set out to achieve with the passage of the Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016 - to eliminate impaired driving on Maryland's roads," said Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer who also serves at Governor Moore's Highway Safety Representative. "The data is clear that ignition interlock systems work by reducing the likelihood that a first-time, repeat, and high-risk offenders will drive impaired again. We must continue to find solutions to eliminate impaired driving so we can continue to save more lives."

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration administers the Ignition Interlock Program. An ignition interlock device connects a motor vehicle's ignition system to a breath analyzer that measures a driver's blood alcohol concentration and prevents a motor vehicle from starting if the driver's blood alcohol concentration exceeds a specified legal level. The device also records certain information about its use that is downloaded and sent by a service provider to the MVA every thirty days for review and compliance-based action.

"For almost a decade, I've worked to get Noah's Law passed to implement tangible accountability standards for drunk and impaired drivers. Beginning October 1st, that becomes a reality. This could not have happened without the unwavering advocacy of Marylanders who have lost loved ones at the hands of drunk drivers or the support of MADD, our MVA, WRAP and other members of the Maryland Advocates and Partners, said Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary (D-13, Howard County), chief sponsor of HB 105. "The fact is, drunk drivers are responsible for one-third all of Maryland traffic fatalities. Our new full-strength Ignition interlock law will change driver behavior and save lives while curbing the drunk driver re-offending rate by up to 75 percent."

Highway safety partners have worked tirelessly to close the loophole since the original passing of the Drunk Driving Reduction Act of 2016.

"Last year alone, ignition interlocks prevented more than 8,000 drunk driving incidents in Maryland. Imagine how many more will be prevented and how many more lives can be saved now that Noah's Law is expanded to include all drunk driving offenders," said Rich Leotta, father of fallen Montgomery County Police Office Noah Leotta. "More than ever, Maryland is #NoahStrong."

According to MADD, the Ignition Interlock Program prevented more than 76,800 attempts to start or operate a vehicle in Maryland where the driver's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was greater than .02. Of those, more than 8,100 attempts were made to start or operate a vehicle where the driver's BAC was greater than .08.

"Drunk driving kills or injures someone every 78 seconds nationwide," said MADD CEO Stacey D. Stewart. "By closing the loophole in Noah's Law and requiring ignition interlocks for all drunk drivers, Maryland is now a model for other states to follow."

Over the past five years in Maryland, nearly 800 people have been killed and 15,000 have been injured in crashes involving an impaired driver. In Maryland and nationally, impaired driving accounts for nearly one third of all roadway fatalities.

"In Maryland currently, over 50-percent of persons adjudicated for drunk driving are granted probation before judgment and therefore not subject to the full universe of public protections namely participation in the state's proven effective interlock program," said Kurt Erickson, President of the Maryland nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program and proponent of the new law. "Maryland's newest drunk driving law simply looks to ensure public safety along that route currently used by half of persons arrested for drunk driving in the state."

More information on the Ignition Interlock Program can be found here.

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