Eight of the 10 U.S. cities with the highest drunk driving rates are in California: Bakersfield, Fresno, San Diego, Long Beach, Oakland, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Jose
Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) and Senator Bob Archuleta (D-Pico Rivera), who tragically lost his grandchild to a drunk driver over the holidays, were joined by Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the California Police Chiefs Association, the Association of Highway Patrolmen, AAA, and Assemblymembers Ransom, Soria, and Krell to announce the introduction of AB 366, the Save Lives with Every Start bill. This legislation addresses California’s urgent drunk driving crisis by expanding the use of ignition interlock devices to prevent impaired driving and save lives.
AB 366 will require all DUI offenders to use interlock ignition devices (i.e. breathalyzers or IID’s) and stop California’s current laws from expiring at the end of this year. California currently requires IID installation for repeat DUI offenders and in certain first-time cases. However, the state’s IID laws are expiring at the end of 2025, which would make California the only state without protections against impaired drivers. AB 366 will preserve our current protections and expand this mandate, ensuring that every individual convicted of a DUI must install an IID, eliminating the discretion that allows some offenders to avoid this critical safeguard.
“Driving under the influence is a preventable tragedy that continues to devastate families and communities. Drunk drivers were stopped 30,500 times in California in 2023 alone. My bill will make sure proven DUI prevention laws stay on the books and they are expanded to protect more lives. We can save lives with every start,” said Assemblymember Petrie-Norris.
At the press conference, two families shared their tragic impact stories made by this selfish crime. Senator Bob Archuleta and Tara Repka-Flores, a National Ambassador for MADD. Both lost family members to drunk drivers.
Senator Bob Archuleta, a co-author of the bill, shared his recent heart-breaking personal tragedy, “This is a family issue. My own granddaughter was killed by a drunk driver over the holidays…Samantha Alex Robles Haun, was tragically taken. A tragedy no family should endure. It's a profound loss to my family, but how about your family? It could be any day, it could be the 4th of July, thanksgiving, for my family it was Christmas Eve. It’s also important to remember that this tragedy could have been prevented. As legislators it's our duty to step up. IID’s will save lives.”
“AB 366 saves lives. My son, Alec Flores, was a real person and not just a statistic. He was 13 years old, walking to school when a drunk driver took his life. The driver had a BAC level three times the legal limit and left my son on the road to die. Alec had dreams, goals, and a future that was stolen in an instant,” said Tara Repka-Flores as she shared her tragic story that has turned this mom into an activist. In 2022, 1,479 lives were lost in California alone.
Advocates from law enforcement and traffic safety communities also joined the 19 legislators authoring this legislation. “California is facing a drunk driving crisis, 8 out of 10 cities in the entire county with the highest DUI rates are right here in California, From Los Angeles to Sacramento. In states where Ignition Interlock Devices are required, the DUI arrests have dropped by 15%,” said Sacramento County DA Thein Ho.
“Ignition Interlock Devices (IID) are proven to save lives. In states that have implemented all-offender IID laws, drunk driving fatalities have dropped by 26%. This is a statistic that we can’t afford to ignore. In 2023 alone, IIDs prevented more than 30,500 attempts to drive drunk in California. These devices stop tragedies before they happen, keeping dangerous drivers off the road and saving lives. AB 366 is not just common sense, it’s a necessity. We urge lawmakers to act now to prevent more senseless deaths and ensure that California remains committed to stopping drunk driving,” said MADD California Executive Director Pat Rillera.
Alex Gammelgard, Chief of Police in Grass Valley, and past president of the CA Police Chiefs Association. As the representative for over 334 Police Chiefs in California, they firmly support AB 366 because “the data shows that IIDs work, and prevention is much a part of policing, as is enforcement, which is why we support the use of tools that are effective at deterring crimes, not just detecting them.
“CHP officers have seen the devastation of this crime. I’ve seen it personally and it's horrific. Drunk driving crashes transcend all walks of life, all genders, all races, all ages. It's devastating and totally preventable. We support AB 366, California needs this device and should be on the forefront of technology, and we are not, we are behind. We stand with the Legislature to support this bill” said Jake Johnson, president of the California Association of Highway Patrolmen.
“Impaired driving claims far too many innocent lives,” said AAA Public and Government Affairs Manager Steve Finnegan. “AAA strongly advocates for the use of Ignition Interlock Devices for all DUI offenders. These vehicle breathalyzers prevent drivers with alcohol in their system from starting their vehicles, significantly enhancing road safety. This is one of the many tools we support to protect all road users and reduce the risks posed by impaired drivers.
Watch the Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/live/cYg3-ViTkH0