News Room

Press Releases

New Government Report Confuses Dangerous Drunk Driving with Legal Drinking and Driving
(August 26, 2010)

WASHINGTON – Today the American Beverage Institute (ABI), a restaurant trade association, criticized a new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report on ‘drinking and driving.’

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Mothers Against Drunk Driving Downgraded to a ‘D’ by Charity Rating Guide
(July 26, 2010)

WASHINGTON – The American Institute of Philanthropy’s (AIP) Charity Rating Guide & Watchdog Report has downgraded Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to a “D” rating on a A-F scale in its August 2010 report.

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Restaurant Group to Sen. Schumer: Alcohol Detectors Don’t Belong in All Cars
(July 8, 2010)

WASHINGTON – Today the American Beverage Institute (ABI), which represents over 8,000 American restaurants including over 230 in New York, criticized Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) for driving a movement to mandate alcohol detection devices in all cars.

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In The News

Restaurant group say all cars don't need alcohol detectors
The Hill
(May 26, 2010)

A restaurant industry group voiced its opposition Wednesday to Rep. John Sarbanes' (D-Md.) push to mandate alcohol detection devices in all cars.

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Md., Va. consider ignition breathalyzers for first offense
Washington Post
(March 2, 2010)

The movement to rid the roads of drunk drivers is nearing a watershed as states increasingly mandate the use of ignition breathalyzers for first-time offenders. The political will to require their use will be tested this week in Richmond and in Annapolis, when lawmakers consider following the lead of 12 other states where a first conviction results in mandatory use. Ten other states are debating whether to take the same step.

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Critics, backers sound off about Neenah's plan for voluntary sobriety checkpoints
Appleton Post-Crescent
(December 10, 2009)

NEENAH — A plan by Neenah police to conduct voluntary sobriety checkpoints aimed at deterring drunken driving ignited a firestorm of reaction Wednesday.

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Letters to the Editor & Op-Eds

Big brother in the backseat
(August 31, 2010)
The Hill

It's classic bait and switch. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) claims that his ROADS SAFE Act—which authorizes a $60 million taxpayer investment in a government program to further develop sophisticated in-vehicle technology that would keep a car from starting if the driver’s Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level was above a pre-set limit—is all about stopping drunk drivers. This sounds like an excellent idea. After all, who doesn’t want to get dangerous drunk drivers off the road? That’s the bait. Here’s the switch: This taxpayer-funded federal program, known as DADSS (Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety), is actually developing alcohol detection technology to come as standard equipment in all cars.

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WHO’s plan would punish responsible drinkers
(June 9, 2010)
Buffalo News

The World Health Organization has set its sights on your pint glass. It has decided that alcohol belongs alongside AIDS and influenza as a critical global medical issue, and that combating alcohol abuse requires harsh new restrictions on even the most moderate of drinkers.

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Give judges discretion in drunk-driving cases
(April 8, 2010)
Washington Post

The Post’s devotion to mandatory minimum sentences in DUI cases is puzzling [“Coddling drunk drivers,” editorial, March 30], considering that a week earlier its editorial board argued against mandatory minimums for crack cocaine possession, praising a new bill for giving “judges a greater degree of discretion” in sentencing low-level drug offenders [“Fairness in sentencing,” editorial, March 23].

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