"WE BELIEVE THAT THE BEST PRACTICE IS NOT TO DRINK AND DRIVE AND THAT MEANS ZERO.
If that's neo-prohibitionist, then we are."
MADD CEO Chuck Hurley
As a frequent bowler and one of our friends, we appreciate that you have made league bowling a part of your life. And we feel it is our obligation to keep you informed about things that would significantly change your league bowling experience.
There are always laws and regulations that change or affect how we run our centers, and it is extremely rare that we share our thoughts on those new laws. However, there is a growing movement that we feel is important enough to share with you – one that would eliminate the possibility of having a beer, a glass of wine or a mixed drink while bowling.
Over the past 20 years, America has waged a war against drunk driving. These efforts have paid off: Drunk driving fatalities have plummeted, and in 2005 alcohol contributed to only 7 percent of all traffic accidents.
Due to the success of campaigns aimed at drunk driving, responsible citizens have responded. Today, fatal crashes are rarely caused by casual social drinkers, but by hardcore alcoholics. In fact, national statistics indicated that a blood alcohol content of 0.17 (more than twice the legal limit) is the most frequently recorded level among drinking drivers involved in fatal crashes.
Despite these successes, many advocates believe that the current laws do not go far enough. Rather than focus on those offenders who drive with high blood alcohol content or who repeatedly drive drunk even after being convicted, they believe all drinking before driving should be illegal.
These anti-alcohol advocates think one drink is one drink too many before getting behind the wheel. And they have turned to technology as a way of achieving their goal.
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“MADD has A LONG-TERM GOAL TO MAKE ALCOHOL INTERLOCKS A STANDARD SAFETY FEATURE THAT IS INSTALLED IN ALL NEW VEHICLES, MUCH LIKE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SEATBELTS AND AIRBAGS.”
MADD CEO Chuck Hurley
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The technology goes by a few names: ignition interlocks, alcohol interlock, in-car breathalyzers. But they all work as in-car Alcohol Detection Devices (ADDs). An ADD will prevent an engine from starting if the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC) is over a pre-set threshold.
The technology isn’t new; it was created in the late 1980s for the cars of criminals who repeatedly drove with high BAC levels. But in recent years, anti-alcohol groups have put together a strategy of expanding the use of this technology. They want to gradually make ADDs so commonplace that each car will come equipped with such a device.
Currently, ADDs are able to detect alcohol at levels as low as 0.02 blood alcohol concentration, and the technology is constantly improving. If they become mandatory equipment in all cars, they will be set far below the legal limit of 0.08 —most likely at 0.03-0.04. At those low levels, drinking even one beer before driving could trigger the device for many people.
The strategy of the anti-alcohol advocates who are pushing for an increased use of ADDs centers on changing the public’s opinion.
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“THE PUBLIC, THOUGH, HAS TO ACCEPT THESE THINGS, or they won't work.”
MADD President Laura Dean-Mooney
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Mothers Against Drunk Driving is working closely with government traffic safety agencies and is leading the charge to promote the universal acceptance of ADDs. MADD’s “Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving” follows the same template successfully applied by the first prohibition movement way back in the 1920s. Today’s strategy includes (1) swaying public opinion with weak research and (2) expanding the use of ADDs state-by-state. Since 2005, more than a dozen states have expanded their laws involving ADDs.
Those of us in the hospitality industry have worked with law enforcement to protect against dangerous drunk drivers. We’ve supported designated driver and safe ride programs and encouraged laws targeted at high BAC and repeat offenders. But these efforts are different. They target our regular customers and the 176 million Americans who drink responsibly before driving.
We are working with BPAA (our national association) and other bowling center owners to push back against universal ADDs and zero tolerance efforts. But it is important to us that our friends and customers also know about the campaign that is underway to criminalize all social drinking. We encourage you to find out more about this debate by going to www.InterlockFacts.com.
Please check back here over the next few months for updates or more information on the campaign to require ADDs in all cars.
To learn more click here.
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