Illinois is a five-star state when it comes to drunk driving prevention and enforcement, as recognized by Mothers against Drunk Driving.
“We are increasing the amount of money that we’re going to put toward enforcement the next two years,” says John Webber, interim director of the traffic safety division of the Illinois Department of Transportation, “because we know enforcement works, especially on drunk driving.”
One of the factors in the recognition is Illinois’ law that the drunk-driving sentence include time with a BAIID – breath-activated ignition interlock device. Your car would only start if you blow a sober breath into a straw.
Webber says declining fatality numbers suggest society’s behaviors are changing such that drinking and driving is more clearly unacceptable, and that it’s OK to give the keys to someone who is sober.