Assessment of Different Technologies in Meeting Requirements of the HALT Act

Introduction

Alcohol-impaired driving remains one of the most persistent and well-understood risks in roadway safety. While existing countermeasures have produced meaningful progress, they have not eliminated the problem. The Honoring the Abbas Family Legacy to Terminate (HALT) Drunk Driving Act establishes a mandate for passive vehicle-based technologies to prevent impaired driving but allows technological flexibility in how this outcome is achieved. The specific implementation of the technology, however, has not been mandated. That is, it may be realized through cameras, sensors, or other non-intrusive (passive) systems. It follows that there are benefits and drawbacks to each approach. The purpose of this research is to document advantages and disadvantages of different categories or classes of technology that could be deployed under the HALT Act. 

Project Goal and Plan

This project will evaluate direct alcohol detection systems, driver monitoring systems, and vehicle-based performance monitoring approaches using a framework grounded in real-world effectiveness. The analysis will include a synthesis of the scientific literature with targeted input from leading experts across engineering, human factors, and policy through working groups and interviews. The project will provide actionable recommendations for manufacturers and safety stakeholders, as well as a proposed performance-based regulatory approach to implement the HALT Act requirement.