WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-NM, today discussed his efforts to reduce drunk driving and to improve the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians on America's roads during a meeting of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee.
Udall, a member of the EPW Committee, highlighted his recently-introduced ROADS SAFE Act (The Research of Alcohol Detection Systems for Stopping Alcohol-related Fatalities Everywhere Act). The legislation is designed to reduce the number of drunk driving crashes and fatalities on America's roads by funding the development of new technologies to prevent drivers from operating vehicles while under the influence of alcohol.
"We can't develop this technology fast enough," Udall said in a statement submitted to the committee. "Every day, dozens of people die needlessly on America's roads because of drunk driving. If this technology were available today, it would have prevented the recent deaths of five people in New Mexico who died as the result of drunk drivers."
As New Mexico Attorney General from 1990-1998, Udall fought to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road and has continued to champion the cause in the Senate. In December, Udall joined Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) in introducing legislation that would make states require the use of ignition interlock technology for all convicted drunk driving offenders. This legislation would make New Mexico's current DWI ignition interlock mandate the national standard.
As a result of actions at the state level - including those Udall proposed and fought for while serving as state attorney general - deaths from drunk driving accidents in New Mexico have dropped by more than 50 percent over the past two decades, from 304 in 1990 to 143 in 2008.
Udall also questioned panelists, including Deb Hubsmith of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, on what should be done to improve the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians on America's roads. The Senator highlighted an accident last month in Albuquerque where a bicyclist was killed when a driver lost control of her vehicle and left the road.
"It is critically important that our communities provide individuals with a safe means of travel that do not include a vehicle," Udall said in his prepared remarks.
