A Nov. 30 editorial in the Portland Press Herald highlights a report by Mothers Against Drunk Driving that claims to judge states based on their vigor in tackling drunken driving.
According to this year’s MADD report, Maine has fallen into the middle of the pack. However, the report uses flawed metrics. MADD’s narrative behind two of the categories, specifically “all-offender interlock law” and “sobriety checkpoints,” are riddled with defective arguments.
MADD claims that all-offender ignition interlock laws are a major force behind drunken-driving reductions, but in reality they make little difference. When comparing alcohol-related fatality rates between the 24 states that have all-offender ignition interlock laws and the other 26 that don’t have them, there is no difference – both fall right below 30 percent.
Their use of sobriety checkpoints in their analysis is no better. Sobriety checkpoints can easily be avoided because they are highly noticeable from miles away and widely publicized. More importantly, checkpoints end with dismal results. They often result in no operating-under-the-influence arrests at all.
MADD’s report uses flawed metrics and should be taken with a grain of salt.
Sarah Longwell
managing director, American Beverage Institute
Washington, D.C.
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